Rags and Riches
by Lenetjie
Summary: "I guess I'll go get your things then." Charlie said asked. "Unless you expect me to fetch it myself?" I jumped as her voice sounded right outside my door. I suppressed the urge to open the door and let it whack her for talking to Charlie like that. AH
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Nope I do not own Twilight or anything related to Twilight. Accept this story. **

**Chapter 1**

"Can you actually believe that Gucci and Louis Vuitton are paying her to wear their clothes?"

Suppressing a moan, I glanced over my copy of '_To kill a mocking bird'_ at the little huddle of girls, three desks in front of me. They were the source of my irritation for the last ten minutes. Some overpriced magazine, with smooth glossy pages, lay spread open in front of them. They were discussing someone in the magazine with envy, their eyes filled with desire.

"Clothes are nothing compared to the Porsche she got last week." Jessica commented flipping the page.

"No way" Her best friend, Lauren, whined. "She gets a Porsche for free, while I have to beg my brother to drive me around."

I focused back on my book, trying to force myself to concentrate. Home period was almost over. Soon it will be the start of the last first day of school. Finally, senior year. It felt like forever to reach this point in my life.

"I guess we can't all be Alice Brandon." Angela said next to me.

"Who?" I asked, closing my book with a snap. Clearly, I wasn't going to be able to read it now.

"The girl they are gushing about." She jabbed her chin towards Jessica and Lauren's little gaggle of friends.

"Oh, the little people are important too. Who else is going to buy the magazines the exceptional people appear in?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Being a modern day Serena van der Woodsen might be fun."

"I hope you have a good medical fund, you're going to remove a lot of knifes from your back. Backstabbing comes complementary with the Prada bags."

She grabbed onto my arm and in her best five-year-old whiny voice said, "But you get a free Porsche."

I ignored her pleading eyes. "Great, they can pick you out of the grill of a hummer." I deadpanned. "Or maybe use you in a new don't drink and drive add when you skidded of the road. Then you'll even have your fifteen minutes of fame."

She sighed letting go of my arm. "So what does Angela Weber have that is so great?"

"You have the best thing on earth."

"Which is?"

"Me, duh." Angela just rolled her eyes as the bell rang. We grabbed our bags, before following the mass of thundering students out of the classroom.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

My stomach was literally growling by the time the lunch bell finally rang. After quickly stuffing my books into my bag, I hauled ass to the cafeteria. Emmett signaled me to join him in the food line. Suppressing my slightly guilty feeling for cutting in front of some juniors, I grabbed a try.

"Thanks man. I'm starving."

He just nodded his head. "You are always hungry."

"It's not my fault that I have a healthy appetite."

He eyed the hotdog and fries on my tray. "What about that is exactly healthy?"

"The chocolate milk." I said placing the carton on my tray.

He laughed as we paid for our spoils. We turned to the tables searching for the nearest empty one. We spotted one to our right. "That is a children's drink."

"Says who?" I asked sitting down.

"About all the little children who drink it."

I opened it, popped a straw in and took a long swig. "Well, they have good taste."

Eric and Angela joined us, silencing Emmett from saying what was sure to be a well thought out comeback. Angela pulled her chair out with such force I was afraid she might scrape the linoleum of the floor. Not wanting to get in the middle of Angela and Eric's latest argument, I took a bite of my hotdog.

"What did you do to her this time?" Emmett asked. I kicked him under the table. "Ouch, what was that for."

"Mind your own business." I mumbled giving him a look.

"They are our friends, it is our business." I glared at him giving him another kick. Men are such dunderheads.

"He is right. This pompous ass did!" Angela threw a piece of fish finger at Eric, "Dropped my jacket on my desk during the last period, then he said allowed that I could get my underwear back after school. Everyone, including Ben who was sitting two desks behind me, heard him." Yeah, that will do it.

Emmett's booming laughter made several students look over at our table. I kicked him again, cutting his laughter short. "It's not funny Emmett."

"Then why did he laugh." Eric asked. He could be happy that he was out of my kicking range.

"First of all Eric…" I held up my pointing finger. "You really should stop with your cross-dressing nonsense. You are ruining Angela's game."

He just flapped a limp wrist at me before blowing me a kiss. "I try darling but, the clothes are so pretty." We laughed at his little gay impression. He frowned slightly. "I did that a little to well, didn't I?"

Even Angela laughed this time. "Second of all…" I held up another finger. "You should wait for classes Emmett and I also attend, before you do something like that."

Eric and Emmett laughed but Angela elbowed me in the ribs. "Some friend you are."

"Tell me about it." Emmett commented rubbing his leg. "That last kick was for no reason."

Eric snorted. "Knowing Bella, she enjoyed kicking you on some sadistic level." I just ate my fries ignoring Eric. There was no use in arguing with the truth.

"Almost like the way you enjoy ruining my life." Angela quipped.

"No I don't enjoy that…I love it."

I smiled. This was the only thing that I would miss when we finished school. I would miss my friends and the way we could find the humor in anything. Okay, mostly it was a twisted kind of humor but we soon learned to embrace the weirdness. I pushed my empty try to the middle of the table, half listening to their discussion about the latest '_X-Men'_ movie. I really had the best friends a girl could ask for.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

I inhaled deeply as I walked into Cakes and Beans. The aroma of coffee and freshly baked pie reminded me of my grandmother's kitchen. You felt right at home, once you've entered the quaint coffee shop. The pay wasn't great but the warm environment made up for that tenfold. The coffee shop was bustling with people as always. The old jukebox was belching an Elvis song. The King was smiling at me from the furthest wall. His portrait was in good company, Nat King Cole, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn to name but a few of the big sized photos that decorated the wall of the retro coffee shop.

Jane sighed with relief when she spotted me. I made my way around the counter smiling at the thin slender girl. "Busy day?" I asked, taking my apron from beneath the counter and tying it snuggly around my waist.

"Isn't it always?" She expertly lifted a piece of apple pie onto a plate. "Take this to table four please."

I nodded placing the plate on a tray. "Sure thing." I checked my pouch to make sure it still contained my booklet and pen. Then, with a smile on my face, I picked up the tray to serve yet another customer.

Everyone in Forks knew that we had the best-baked goods. People would stop in for a warm cup of coffee and a snack before work, during their lunch break, after work, on a date, because they were in the neighborhood, for meetings or whatever else reason they could think of. Esme's baking was just that good.

On my trip back to the counter, I took an order from one of our regular customers. "Doctor Cullen, how are you today?" I asked giving him a genuine smile. The blond doctor had almost every nurse fawning after him but he only had eyes for Esme. Not that she was aware of that.

"A cup of your homebrewed goodness and a slice of…" He paused shifting his head from side to side slightly. Finally, he made up his mind. "Blueberry pie I think."

I smiled writing it down. "Do you want me to tell Esme to bring it over herself?"

He glanced over at the kitchen, you could easily spot Esme through the kitchen portal as she was busy making some fresh pastries. As if feeling someone watching her she looked in our direction. A small line of flower covered her one cheek. As soon as she made eye contact with Carlisle, he gave her a small wave. She waved back and then mouthed the words get back to work at me. I nodded my head and she turned her attention back to her pastries.

Carlisle sighed and with one last longing look at her, he turned his attention back on me. "Maybe some other time, she seems busy today."

I chuckled. "She is always busy." I commented as I walked passed him heading to the counter.

I gave Jane Carlisle's order and leaned on the kitchen counter. "Esme didn't you complain of a sore back the other day. You could always ask Doctor Cullen to help you with that."

Esme removed some muffins from the oven. "Oh it's nothing. I am sure he has better things to do than to look at some old woman's back."

Jane grabbed the percolator, "I'm sure that Carlisle wouldn't mind looking at some other parts as well." She winked at Esme before pouring coffee into a cup.

"I don't know what you are talking about. Now take the dear man his order." She pointed towards him with her flower-covered wooden spoon. "It's why he came here in the first place."

"Esme you are the best pastry chef in Forks but believe me…that man comes here for more than a slice of pie." I picked up his order. "Wait…" I paused with the tray mid air. She placed a brownie with his pie. "Hot out of the oven. Tell him it is on the house."

Smiling I delivered Carlisle's order. "I won't be giving up on her just yet. She has bestowed you with a gift." I placed his order in front of him. His cheeks reddened as he saw the brownie. Leaving him with his own thoughts, I continued on to the next customer.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

It felt like I was on my feet all day long by the time I arrived home. "Dad I'm home." I shouted and he turned down the volume of the TV.

I dropped my bag at the kitchen door and immediately checked what he made for dinner. I only worked on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Charlie covered dinner for those days and I the other four. I opened the Microwave and was stunned to find my favorite meal, marinated steak, baked potatoes and garlic bread. My mouth started watering and I quickly heated the food. As I waited for the food, I grabbed a can of Mountain Dew from the fridge and made my way to the living room.

"Hey Bells, how was your day?" He asked when I walked through the door.

"It's school, can't be anything but boring. Yours?"

"It's work, can't be anything but boring." He smiled at me before taking a swig of his bear.

The microwave dinged and I placed my can on the table. I hurried to the kitchen removed the food, grabbed some eating utensils and was back in the living room before he could even blink properly. "What is the hurry?" He asked as I sat down, already taking a bite out of the bread.

I swallowed. "You made my favorite and I'm starving."

"You are always starving" I just rolled my eyes taking another bite of bread. It was silent while I ate, I was almost done when he picked up the remote and channel served until he landed on a rerun of Buffy. He turned the volume up and settled into a more comfortable position.

I frowned, "Since when do you like Buffy."

He shrugged. "You like it don't you? We always watch what I want to watch. I just thought you would like to watch something that you liked for a change."

I looked at him, then down at my almost empty plate and back at the TV. "Okay, what did you do?"

"What do you mean?" He asked all innocent like.

"You made my favorite food. You are watching Buffy with me. I mean its BUFFY dad. You hate Buffy. Which begs the question, what did you do?"

He shifted in his seat uncomfortably. "Can't a father do something nice for his one and only daughter?" I just stared at him, not buying his act for a minute. He was as guilty as a rabbit in a carrot patch.

"Do I have to drag it out of you?"

"I didn't do anything Bells."

"Is Sue pregnant?"

"No! Jeez. I'm didn't do anything."

I snorted. "If it walks like a duck and sits like a duck, it is a duck."

He sighed and glanced at his watch. Then, like a guilty kid who was caught with his hand in the cookie jar, he confessed. "The daughter of a friend is going to stay here for a while."

I placed my now empty plate on the coffee table. "How long is awhile?"

"Uh…well…kind of the whole school year."

"What!" I asked in shock. "That's not awhile dad. That is a year."

"Technically it's only about ten months." I glared at him, not impressed with his little comment. "Bella, this is the only place her father could send her. He trusts me to look after her. Here she is away from all the parties, drugs and paparazzo that are thrown in her face on a daily basis."

I did a double take. "Paparazzi? Who is this girl?"

"Alice Brandon. Her father and I go way back. I owe him a really big favor."

Alice Brandon. Like The Alice Brandon? Living under the same roof as me? Living in Forks? Yeah, this will go over well. "When does she arrive?"

As if on cue, there was a loud knock on the door. Charlie and I looked at each other. His eyes pleaded with me. To forgive him, to understand, to not make a scene. Well that might be a tad difficult.

There was another impatient knock. "I guess now." He said getting up. I followed him into the hallway. He opened the door and the shortest girl I had ever seen walked passed him. Her head held high.

"Finally, some service in this place." She had short black spiky hair, an elfish face that was starring at her surroundings in horror, her blue eyes wide. "What kind of establishment is this? I would like to see the Manager, service here is completely lacking."

I raised my eyebrows at Charlie. Clearly, her father did not fill her in on the living arrangements. What the fuck were they thinking, sending someone like her here? Charlie closed the door and smiled at her. "Alice, uh Stefan was supposed to… uh tell you this. You will be… uh staying with us. In our home."

Alice stared at him in disbelieve. "What are you talking about? Father would never do a thing like that?"

Without meaning to, I snorted. She looked at me, more like looking down on me. I cleared my throat. "I'm sure if you called "father" he'll explain everything to you."

"Oh, I will do just that. There is no way that I'll be living in this…" She looked around her again. "Well… in a place like this." What was that supposed to mean? Snob much bitch?

She lifted her handbag that had been dangling on her arm and after almost plunging her whole arm into the thing, brought out her phone. She literally jabbed at the key pad and lifted the electronic device to her ear. It rang loudly in the silence that surrounded us. After the fourth ring, someone picked up. "Daddy, what is the meaning of this." She got right to the point not even greeting her own father. "These people cannot be serious. They say that I'm supposed to stay with them. Tell me that…" A loud voice interrupted her little rant. "But you can't…" She paled. "Fine." She disconnected the line. She straightened her shoulders and turned to me. "I shall require someone to get my bags from my car. When you take it to my room, please make sure that my room is heated. I shall be there in a few minutes."

I chuckled, shaking my head slightly. Biting my lip not to say anything I walked to the kitchen and picked up my discarded schoolbag. Then I looked over at Charlie. "Father, I shall leave this to you." I mimicked Alice's tone almost exactly. "I have homework to do." Without as much as a glance in her direction, I walked up the stairs and to my room, making sure to slam the door behind me.

I leaned against the door making it easier to hear Charlie's voice even though the door muffled it. "I'm sorry for that, Bella had a long day. She's not usually like this." Why the fuck is he apologizing to her? She was the one giving out demands as if she was the queen of England. Talk about being disrespectful.

"Charming I'm sure." Alice replied. "Which way to my room?"

"Uh…oh yes. Just up the stairs. It's the last door on your left." The loose stair creaked as she made her way upstairs. Ungrateful little bitch. "I guess I'll go get your things then." Charlie said asked.

"Unless you expect me to fetch it myself?" I jumped as her voice sounded right outside my door. I suppressed the urge to open the door and let it whack her for talking to Charlie like that.

The front door opened and closed. I could hear Charlie muttering something through my open window. A door down the hall opened followed by a loud gasp. "Of all things that are holy, surely they don't expect me to sleep in this broom closet? No surely not." There was a loud bang, as a door slammed shut. "What lies behind door number two?" Another door opened. "Well at least it's not a broom cupboard."

The front door opened and I heard Charlie curse loudly. Several bangs resounded through the house as he made his way upstairs. "What took you so long?" She inquired from down the hall.

"Ungrateful little wretch." Muttered Charlie as he stumbled passed my door. I chuckled softly.

"Would you open the door please?" Charlie asked out of breath.

"No, no. They go in here." There was silence. Then several bangs as heavy objects were placed on the floor.

"Uh, that is my room Alice."

"I'm sure you said the last door to the right."

"Nope, I said the last one on the left."

"Well either way I prefer this one. It has the bigger bed."

"Alice…" In my minds eye I could see how Charlie pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to control his temper. "That is my room and that is final."

"You don't really expect me to sleep in that little broom cupboard do you, I'm not Harry Potter." Thank Merlin for that. Otherwise, the wizarding world would be in deep trouble. Voldemort would win for sure.

"Who?" Charlie asked slightly taken by surprise. I giggled and decided to take pity on him. I opened my door and poked my head outside.

"He sleeps naked in that big bed you are so fond of, sometimes even without showering. Do you really want to sleep in something like that?"

She looked at me for three heartbeats, then grabbed the nearest bag and disappeared into the guestroom. Charlie gave me a grateful smile and carried the rest of her luggage into the room. "I took the liberty of enrolling you at Forks High. School starts at nine, Bella usually leaves a little after eight. I'm sure she won't mind giving you a ride."

Oh sure, can I run her over while I am at it? When it was clear she wasn't going to reply, he closed the door and made his way toward me. "Did Stefan save your life? This is not a favor. Medieval torture would even be a better option."

He glanced back to the guestroom door. "She is just acting out. I'm sure her attitude will change soon enough."

"I won't hold my breath if I were you."

He gave me his hundred-yard look. "Don't you have homework to do?"

"Okay I get it, end of discussion."

"Smart girl." He commented as he headed back downstairs. I closed the door and on my way to my bed grabbed '_To kill a mockingbird_'. Making myself comfortable against my pillows, I began reading. Escaping this craziness, we call life.

**Alice in Wonderland. **

_I have been exiled. Living in a place that seems almost like a different world. No one understands me, understands what I've lost. How could they? I can never live like this. I need to get out, to escape. I have a plan. Drive my fellow housemates insane and they will have to send me back. I have a feeling the old man will break first. The Red Queen on the other hand is a real piece of work. However, I'll get her to crack. One way or the other. Eventually everyone does. I just hope that this strange new way of things does not drive me insane first. _

**Comments:**

**Flirty - **Honey, I'll save you from that crazy place. Then we can live in my castle, where you can have your every hearts desire.

**Bear - **By castle, you mean the basement in your mother's house. Yeah that is very romantic. No, you just hang in there. Seems like you have had a change in scenery. Look out the window, you might find that you like the view.

**Glasses - **I agree with Bear, change isn't always bad. Give it some time, maybe you'll even like it.

**Muscles - **Do not listen to them. Give those people hell. Then take back what is rightfully yours. I can come beat those people up if you want.

**Blondie - **Exile huh? Sounds like you're in some shit storm. Exile is for those who did something wrong. Did you stray from the narrow path? You know what they say, every bitch for themselves out in the big bad world.

**Dork - **Boohoo, live is not fair. Blah, blah, blah. If it rains on your party bust out the soap.

**Glasses - **The soap?

**Dork - **Foam party…duh. Jeez, Glasses get a live.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

**A/n this story has been swirling the gutter that is my brain for some time now. Finally, I can get it out. The Alice in Wonderland part is a blog that Alice keeps and it is crucial for the story later on. **

**That is all she wrote…until next chapter.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Nope nothing had changed so I still don't own anything.**

**Chapter 2**

Yawning, I closed the door of the bathroom. Slowly I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. I swear, I only blinked last night and then it was morning. No way did I sleep five hours last night. As I yawned again, I opened the warm water and closed the shower door. By the time I had removed my over sized T-shirt and panties, dropping the latter into the laundry basket, the water was just turning lukewarm. I got into the shower quickly, adjusting the taps until the water was to my liking. I sighed in content, as my brain was slowly coaxed into the land of the living.

Methodically, I went through my morning routine. I had just washed the shampoo from my hair when the bathroom door opened. Instinctively I screamed, covering my naked bits as best I could with my arms and hands. The steam had fogged up the glass panels of the shower and I prayed that whoever came to kill me, would just chop my head off already.

"Would you shut the fuck up?" I froze, my scream dieing away.

My heart was pounding in my ears, I was breathing heavily and my slightly heightened state, by shot of adrenaline, registered the fact that that was a girl's voice. I swiped my hand across the glass plane clearing the view and stared at Alice. "What the fuck are you doing in here?"

She looked half-asleep and was rubbing her eyes. "That is exactly what I wanted to know. Why are you in my shower?"

"Your shower?" I forced myself to take a breath. "May I remind you, that you are a guest and since there is only one bathroom in this house, we will all have to share."

"What? Only one bathroom?" She shuddered. "No, no absolutely not. I refuse to share a bathroom, that's totally unhygienic."

I forgot all about my delicate state as my temper got the better of me. I pointed at her accusingly. "You insolent, spoiled little brat. How dare you insinuate that Charlie and I have some…" Her gaze slipped from my face and down my chest. I covered myself again. "Out, get the fuck out!" She took a hesitant step towards the door. "Now!" She left quickly slamming the door behind her.

I was practically seething. Bits of foam flew in every direction as I washed myself. She doesn't even have etiquette to knock first. I turned the water off and stepped out of the shower. "Acting like she is the queen of Sheba." I grabbed a towel drying myself roughly. "Never in my life…she's worse than a fucking child." I wrapped the towel around me and grabbed my discarded clothes from the floor. "That is totally unhygienic." I mimicked her as I opened the door and walked to my room.

I closed my door, locking it for good measure. Privacy obviously wasn't big where she came from. I dropped my shirt on my bed and walked over to my Ipod docking station. I pressed play. '_Ke$ha's Tic Tock'_ blared through my speakers. "Tell you what Kesha," I murmured. "I could really use a bottle of Jack right now."

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

"Just to let you know, I'm leaving in fifteen minutes." I shouted up the stairs. "And I don't mind leaving your pampered ass behind." I added for good measure before walking to the kitchen. Grabbing the box of Count Chocula from the cupboard, I poured some into a bowl before adding milk. Keeping a weary eye on the clock, I leaned against the counter and placed a spoonful of chocolate goodness in my mouth.

"Are you decent?" Alice asked from the doorway.

"No, I eat my cereal naked." I sarcastically replied.

"Well, it would give a whole new meaning to The Naked Chef." I smiled involuntarily. There might be some hope for her just yet. "Where is my breakfast?" And all hope was gone.

"Bowls are in the cupboard." I pointed to my right. "Cereal and milk is right here." I gestured to the counter next to me. "Help yourself."

She looked from me to the box on the counter and then her eyes turned back to me. "What is that?"

"Count Chocula." She just stared at me blankly. "How do you not know what Count Chocula is?"

She straightened her back and I swore her nose lifted several inches into the air. "A private Chef made my breakfast. Eggs benedict, waffles, pancakes, homemade yogurt with fresh fruit salad, anything I wanted."

I rolled my eyes, not impressed at all. "Of course you had a private chef. Well, either go hungry or eat cereal like us mere mortals do everyday."

"I won't eat that." She deadpanned.

I shrugged. "Whatever." I carried my now empty bowl to the sink and rinsed it out before placing it in the dishwasher. "Just remember Princess, don't cut your nose to spite your face." I walked passed her, ignoring the look she gave me. "I'm leaving in five minutes so get your spoiled ass in gear."

"Where is…uhm…" Her brow creased as she thought. "Where is your father?"

"You mean Charlie?" She nodded her head. "He left for work already. You can be glad though, I literally screamed murder this morning. He might have shot you."

"Are you always this overdramatic?" I shrugged. "Look…uhm…" She frowned again. "I'm sorry I don't even know your name."

"Is that a regular thing for you?" I folded my arms across my chest. "Seeing people naked before finding out their names?"

"No, usually I just have my butler escort them out."

"Of course you do. Now if you'll excuse me your highness, I still have some things to do." I turned on my heel and walked out of the kitchen, heeded upstairs and straight to the bathroom.

The only evidence of her presence was a beige fluffy towel (that had to set her back a few hundred dollars, at least) and a bright pink toothbrush. Shaking my head at the atrocious color, I squeezed some toothpaste onto my blue toothbrush. I heard Alice come up the stairs and a few seconds later she walked passed the bathroom, her head held high. Whatever was up her butt was stuck sideways.

When I was done, I grabbed my schoolbag from my room and proceeded downstairs. "Are you coming or what?" I shouted impatiently. She appeared at the top of the stairs. Suppressing a sigh, I opened the door. There was a loud gasp behind me. I looked over my shoulder more irritated than ever. She was standing a few feet behind me. "What is it now?"

"I can't go out in that, dressed like this?"

I looked at her clothes, a white blouse, skinny jeans, converse shoes and a long black coat. I took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. I was getting more impatient by the minute. "What is wrong with your clothes?"

"It's autumn wear, not winter wear."

"Princess, it is autumn."

"Then why is it raining?"

I ran my hand through my hair. Fuck, I could strangle her. "Because it is Forks, the wettest place in the continental US."

"Well, I clearly didn't get the memo okay." She looked me up and down. "Just like you decided to take a sick day when fashion sense was handed out. That clothes you're wearing, is so last decade."

Oh, hell no. Now she was criticizing me clothes? "Look Princess, I'm leaving. Either you get in that truck or you can find your own ride to school."

She looked at the drizzling rain. "Ten minutes okay, that is all I'm asking for."

Lord, give me strength or I might kill her. "You've got five."

She took twenty. Twenty Goddamn minutes to put on boots and some long-sleeved shirt, that made the same outfit magically transform into winter wear. I swore under my breath as I marched to my truck. "You're driving me to school in that? That thing belongs in a museum."

I turned around so abruptly, she almost walked into me. "Look, you're getting a lift to school. I am not your driver and I am not driving you anywhere. We cannot all have Porches. Now get in the fucking truck." She paled slightly and walked around me. Without saying a word, she got into the truck. Instinctively I felt bad for screaming at her.

I groaned in frustration as I ran my hands through my hair. "This is going to be a long day." I mumbled to myself as I walked around the truck and got in. I placed my bag next to Alice's in the middle of the seat before turning the key. Alice jumped in surprise as the truck started with a roar. Smiling I shifted into first and drove to school.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

I parked the truck at the very back of the lot. Even for a school this small all the best spots were taken. Nobody likes running through the rain. "The admin building is there." I pointed to a small building to our left. "I'm sure you'll get further instructions from Mrs. Brook." She grabbed her bag and got out of the truck without a word. The fear of running late forced the fact that her silent treatment was working, from my mind. I grabbed my bag and jogged through the rain to the school entrance.

Emmett was casually leaning against my locker, eating a donut. "Those things will clog up your arteries man." I said slightly out of breath.

"I'll take the risk. Do you want a bite?" He held out a half-eaten donut in my direction.

"No thanks. I already ate." He shrugged stuffing the rest of the donut into his mouth. Gross.

I unlocked my locker and grabbed some books, jamming them into my bag. "Running a wee bit late, aren't we. Did you oversleep again?" He asked before licking some chocolate from the corner of his mouth.

"No, Queen Alice had a fashion crisis."

He frowned. "Who's Alice?"

"My live-in nightmare. You might have heard of her, Alice Brandon." We made our way to class. Students literally parted like the red sea. When you are walking with Emmett, his humongous size compels the students to get out of the way by instinct.

"Oh yeah…" He nodded his head and then began shaking it. "Nope, never heard of her. Is she famous or something?" He asked and I smiled at his dorkiness.

"Or something is about right. Gotta go man. See you at lunch." I headed into class.

"Wait, she is a person right? Like a real human being? That actually exists? Who is living with you? In your house?"

I turned back. "Yes."

"Yes to what?"

"All the above."

He stared at me and then he smiled. "Okay then. See you at lunch." He walked off and I smiled as I headed to my desk. My mood was loads better already. This day was finally turning around.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

My good mood did not last long. As with all small schools the news that Alice Brandon was attending her final year at Forks High spread faster than an STD. Students whispered and discussed this little tidbit of information every chance they got.

"Did you see her clothes?"

"Her spiky hair looks so cute. Do you think that look will work for me?"

"She smiled at me, an actual smile."

"She threw away this Kleenex, I'm keeping it forever?"

"Do you think she has a boyfriend?"

It went on and on and it was only the first half of the school day. Luckily, so far we didn't share any classes together. I have caught glimpses of her in the hallways in between classes. Students always surrounded her. Girls hanging on every word she said, boys trailing after her like lovesick puppies. I think one even carried her bag for her. It wouldn't surprise me if it was Mike Newton.

I ignored Alice and her groupies in the cafeteria as I got my food. I paid for my sandwich, juice and chocolate pudding before joining my friends. I barely sat down before Angela bombarded me with a ton of questions.

"Is it true that she is living with you? What is she like? Why is she living with you? Does she really have a Porsche? Why is she living with you? Are you like her best friend now? Why is she living with you?" I gave Emmett a look. He just shrugged smiling innocently at me.

"Wow Angela, obsess much?" Eric asked voicing the exact thought that ran through my head.

"Oh bite me, Eric."

"Sorry but I don't eat garbage." Angela threw a grape at him, which he caught smoothly and popped into his mouth. "Ah, delicious." He said smacking his lips.

"Tell us everything." Emmett said focusing all the attention back on me.

I took a swig of my juice and did as he asked. I told them how Alice came to be in my life. How her diva behavior was giving me a headache and how I had no idea how I was supposed to get through a whole year with her living in my house.

"It can't possibly be that bad." Angela said as we watched how Jessica brought Alice a salad. Alice just took the plate and continued talking to some blond girl, completely ignoring Jessica.

"Well, you're used to selfish, childish little people. You have twin, four-year-old brothers." Eric teased her, giving a laughing Emmett a high-five.

"Actually, Eric…that would be your department in my life?"

Eric nudged me, "You hear that Bella. I'm a part of her life."

I chuckled. "Not by choice, I'm sure." Angela winked at me. "To answer your question Angela, so far all I can say is that she is a major fucking pain in my posterior. Charlie however thinks that she's going through a phase."

"Did Charlie mention why he owned Alice's dad this favor?" Emmett asked as he threw his empty water bottle towards the bin. He missed by a mile, hitting a junior by accident. He ducked under the table as the junior looked around trying to find the culprit.

I couldn't help but laugh, so I did. Once Emmett resurfaced, I answered his question. "No, but I'm leaning towards a murder cover-up. Charlie is a goof, accidents are bound to happen."

"And he doesn't have a problem with the two of you living in the same house." Angela asked. "I mean, he does know that you prefer the ladies."

I rolled my eyes. "Just because I'm into girls doesn't mean that I'll jump into the pants of every girl that crosses my path. Plus, she is not my type."

"I don't know Bella." Eric said checking Alice out as she left the cafeteria. Some student was carrying her long black jacket, leaving her ass in full display. "If I was a girl, I'll be more than willing to switch teams for her." He turned back to me. "Maybe if you gave her a chance, you might like her."

"I won't count on it." I said but my eyes didn't leave her ass until she walked out the door and disappeared from sight.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

As it turned out, my luck had run out by last period. History was my favorite subject and that fact in itself explained why fate screwed me over. Alice strolled through the door and handed our teacher, Mr. Hewitt, a form.

He read it and then looked at her. "Well Alice, do you know of any mentionable Alice's in History?"

The whole class was silent as she thought. Then she nodded, "Only one. Alice Perrers. She was a 14th-century royal mistress who had a relationship with King Edward III of England."

He nodded. "Ah yes, she was also called "The lady of the sun". You Alice may sit next to Bella Swan at the back. You will do fine together. She is a history buff as well."

"I'm not a history buff." Alice and I said at the exact same time. Our eyes met and she looked away quickly. I was all too aware of the curious stares the students were giving us.

Mr. Hewitt smiled. "Yes, a fine pairing indeed."

Why did he have to place her next to me? Mike Newton was more than eager to have her sit next to him. He was literally trying to glare me to death. Mr. Hewitt seriously lost some cool points. Alice slid into the desk next to me, taking out a notebook and ignoring me completely. She focused her attention on Mr. Hewitt.

"Who can tell me what is important about the date April 14 1912?" There was silence in the class.

"Anybody?" Seriously, all of them watched the movie. How hard is it to remember the date?

Mr. Hewitt sighed. "Bella?"

"It's the night that the Titanic struck the iceberg, Sir."

"Correct." He wrote the date on the board, followed by the RMS Titanic.

"OMG. My birthday is, like, the 14th of April. I will totally remember the date the Titanic sank, that is like super awesome." Cindy clapped her hands together excitedly. Somewhere an English teacher was committing suicide for her poor use of the English language.

"Actually Cindy, the Titanic sank on the 15th of April, it only struck the iceberg on the 14th." Alice said softly from beside me.

"Indeed it did Alice and Cindy," Mr. Hewitt looked at the hyper blond, no smile on his usual friendly face. "The 1517 people who died that night will disagree with you. It most definitely was not super awesome."

I smiled at the way Cindy deflated. Only she would know why she took History in the first place. It was a wonder she could remember the time of day, not to mention important history facts.

"So Isabella, you like history. Who would have thought?" Alice whispered.

"You know my name. Been asking around about me, have you?" I wrote down a note from the board, from my peripherals I could see Alice staring at me.

"Maybe I have." I looked at her, ignoring the 'what are you going to do about it' look she was giving me. She sighed. "Look, I'm sorry for walking in on you this morning. I should have knocked."

"Yes, you should have." I retorted and she mumbled something I couldn't quite decipher. We didn't talk to each other for the rest of the class. Was I being to harsh? She did try to apologize. Wasn't I the one acting like a bitch now?

I was still arguing with myself when the bell rang. Cindy bounded down the isle towards us and stopped next to Alice's desk. "Are you ready to go?"

"Uh…" She looked at me. "I'm going over to Cindy's place with some friends. I'm allowed to go out right?"

I shoved my books in my bags. "Just be home before seven."

"Is that like a curfew?"

I raised my eyebrow at her attitude. "Exactly like a curfew." Cindy and Alice looked at each other and then laughed.

"Well I don't do curfews. So don't stay up for me, okay?" She linked her arm with Cindy's and together they walked out of class.

"Hey Alice, wait up. I'll carry your bag for you." Mike shouted and hurried after them.

Yeah, I definitely wasn't too hard on her. I grabbed my bag and made my way out of class.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

She got home at exactly eight thirty. Charlie and I was eating dinner, watching a football game when she slammed the door behind her. "Uh Alice, may I have a word." Charlie called as she walked passed the living room door.

She mumbled something in the hallway. Something heavy dropped in the hallway, probably her schoolbag. She dragged her feet, as she entered the room. "Certainly, Charlie. How can I help you?"

"How may I help you?" I corrected her automatically.

"Bella." Charlie warned. I just scoffed. He refocused his attention on Alice. "Uh… I know that you're used to a…uh…well a different kind of lifestyle."

"That is an understatement." Alice piped.

"Yes, a spoiled one." I said under my breath.

"Right, well there are rules in this house. Bella has to follow them so I expect the same from you." Charlie said before Alice could mouth her insult.

"I already told Isabella that I don't do curfews. I'm sure she conveyed the message." She folded her arms across her chest, silently making her stand. I gave her the finger behind Charlie's back.

"She did, your father also left a message for you. He mentioned something about an account and it being cut off if you stepped out of line." Charlie waited a few seconds for the small threat to sink in. "I also took the liberty of insuring him that you've been the perfect guest so far."

Alice shifted from the one foot to the other. "Thank you." She said so softly that I had to strain to hear it.

"What was that?" I asked in fake astonishment.

"You heard me."

"Yes but who knew you even knew those words."

"Stop it Bella." Charlie smiled at Alice already back in his laid-back-father mode. "We kept some fish fry for you, if you're hungry."

She glanced at the food in my plate. I could see she wanted to make some snide remark about it. She forced a smile and said, "Uh, I already ate."

"Very well, just make sure your homework is done before you go to bed."

Alice left and I looked at Charlie. "That went better than I thought."

"Don't forget about your homework missy."

"What are you going to do, close my account of ten dollars?" I teased him.

"Why don't you try being friends with her?"

I grabbed his empty plate and stood up. "I have plenty of friends."

"Yes, but she doesn't have any."

"That is because she has minions." I could hear him laughing as I walked to the kitchen.

**Alice in wonderland.**

I made some friends today, ones that know their place on the social ladder. When I'm with them, I feel like I'm back home. This room (if you could even call it that) and this house is suffocating me. These people don't even have a chef. I'm supposed to make my own food. The Red Queen hates me. I don't know what I've done to her. I just don't understand, people bend over backwards to do what I want. Yet she doesn't. Now, my father is threatening to cut me off if I don't abide by their rules. I'm hungry and tired and no one notices. How are you supposed to sleep when the wind and rain howls around the house all night? Somebody, come and save me please.

**Comments:**

**Blondie – **Don't you just love the ones that know their place on the social ladder? Loyal workers, you can take over the world with loyal workers.

**Muscles - **Give the Red Queen a kick in the ass or beet her into submission

**Flirty – **I'm on my way my love. My trusty stead and I will come and save you.

**Glasses – **Stalk much Flirty. Just remember you need a license to drive your mother's Mustang.

**Bear – **I am sure she doesn't hate you. Just because she doesn't do what you want, doesn't mean she hates you. Usually it only means that she is using her brain.

.

**Dork – **I guess if you want to see the world as being a sad, terrible, unfair, boo-hoo, boo-hoo place that's fine. But man, what kind of life is that?

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

I jerked awake. Something woke me. The floor creaked down stairs and I heard a shuffling noise. By now, my eyes had adjusted to the dark. I got out of bed and grabbed the baseball bat that stood against my wall. My mind was screaming at me to go back to bed but being a police officer's daughter, I sneaked down the stairs, making sure I skipped the one that squeaked. I could hear Charlie snoring. Some police officer you are.

The shuffling sound came from the kitchen. I sneaked down the hall and taking a deep breath, a glanced inside. I could make out a small shape. I lifted the bat as the person moved in my direction. As the dark silhouette passed in front of the window, I could make out spiky hair. Wait? Spiky hair? I switched on the light.

Alice yelped in surprise as we both blinked like crazy. Slowly my eyes adjusted to the light. "You scared the shit out of me, Isabella." She glanced at the bat in my hands. "What is the bat for?"

"What do you think it's for, Princess?" I sneered.

"You know Charlie probably owns a gun, why didn't you just wake him up?"

I ran my hand through my hair. "Last time I checked, you weren't bulletproof. This is America. We can shoot first and ask questions later." She laughed. "What are you doing here in anyway?"

She blushed slightly. "I uh…I was kind of hungry." Suddenly her stomach rumbled, voicing its opinion on the subject.

"What exactly were you trying to make in the dark?"

"Nothing." She blushed again. "I uh, was looking for a granola bar or something."

Yeah right and I'm Megan Fox. "Princess, you don't know how to make anything do you?"

Her shoulders straightened at once. "I had a chef who…"

"Yeah, yeah he catered to your every whim. I've heard." I interrupted her and walked to the cupboard. I grabbed some bread and peanut butter before walking towards her. I placed two slices on a plate just as a loud snore resounded down the stairs.

"How is he still sleeping? We aren't exactly quiet." Alice asked as I buttered the bread.

"Charlie sleeps like the dead."

She watched my every move like a hawk as I spread a healthy helping of peanut butter on the bread. "That doesn't make him a very good officer."

"No, I guess not." I cut the sandwich in half and held the plate towards her. "I'm no professional chef, but this should hold you till the morning."

She took the plate from me. "Thanks."

I waved my hand and grabbed my bat on my way out of the kitchen. "Hey Isabella, do you always walk around the house half naked?" I looked down at my oversized t-shirt and the black boy shorts that barely peaked out under the hem of the shirt. I turned back to her, noticing that she was wearing a light pink bathrobe. Her eyes traveled down my body lingering a bit too long on my exposed legs.

"Only in autumn and winter, the rest of the year I prefer sleeping naked." For once, she was silent. "Good night, Princess." I said as I disappeared out of the room.

"Goodnight Bella." I don't know if she meant to say it but it made me smile all the same.

**A/n Just a small thank you goes out to everyone that reviewed. It's much appreciated. Now I can finally go read Dragon's oath, I've been putting it off so that I could finish this chapter first. **

**Until the next chapter.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. So don't sue. **

**Chapter 3**

"I'll have a Choc chip muffin and a decaf coffee please." I nodded and gave the red head a smile before walking to the kitchen to place her order.

"She's cute. Did she give you her number?" Jane asked me, once I reached the counter.

"Not yet, but the night is still young." I leaned on the counter with my elbows, waiting for her to get the order ready. The coffee shop door opened and Doctor Cullen rushed inside. He closed the door quickly, trying to keep the wind at bay. "Talking about the night still being young, Esme your boyfriend is here."

Her head appeared at the window. "For the thousandth time, he is not my boyfriend." She was saying one thing, but her body was saying another. Her eyes filled with affection as she watched him sitting down at a table near the hearth. "He looks exhausted. Take him some coffee when you deliver that order."

Jane and I glanced at each other sharing a smile. I picked up the order with an extra cup of coffee and made my way to the red head. "Here you go." I placed her order next to her laptop.

"Thanks." She smiled at me, making me hover.

I balanced Carlisle's coffee expertly on the tray, motioning to her laptop with my free hand. "Are you working on an essay?"

She sipped her coffee. "Writing poetry or I'm trying to write poetry."

"Poetry, that is impressive. Rather you than me."

She eyed the tray. "Actually at this time in the fight, I'll take waiting tables. My muse seemed to have left me."

"Sometimes inspirations come from humble things, things that many people don't take the time to see."

Her eyes widened slightly. "You write poetry?"

"I just read it. I better deliver this coffee before it gets cold." With a parting smile, I headed towards Carlisle. "Evening Doctor Cullen. Esme sends this over. She seems to think that you need it." I placed the coffee next to his arm on the table.

He smiled in appreciation. "A women after my own heart. She's right. I just had a seven-hour long surgery. I could do with a pick me up."

"Was it a success?"

"Of course." He looked offended. "There was just an unseen complication, at one point I thought we might have lost him.

"Sounds like you're a hero." He waved off my praise with his hand. I ignored him. "Heroes deserve a slice of chocolate cake, it restores their super strength."

He eyed the two thirds of cake on the counter. "Is that Esme's death by chocolate cake?"

"Freshly baked, this morning." I confirmed and I could see how he wet his lips.

"Maybe you're the woman after my own heart."

I rolled my eyes. "Don't let Esme hear you. She might fire me." I joked just as Emmett and Rosalie walked in. They waved at me as they sat down at their usual booth. "I'll bring you that cake in a sec."

"Take your time, I'm in no rush." He was looking at Esme through the kitchen portal.

I shook my head. "Just don't wait until you're a dinosaur, okay?" I squeezed his shoulder as I made my way towards Emmett's table. On the way, I took another table's order.

"Hey Rosalie, long time no see." I nodded a greeting to Emmett, who was studying the menu.

"I've been busy, home schooling takes up a lot of time. So what is new? I heard you got a new roommate." I glared at Emmett who found something extremely interesting on the menu he knew by heart.

"Is there no one in Forks you haven't told?"

"Don't beet him up." Rose defended her boyfriend, taking his hand on the table.

"It's not like it is a state secret or anything. Jeez, chill a little." He said giving me his goofy grin. I was already smiling back. It was impossible to stay mad at him.

"So is it true or not?" Rosalie pressed.

"Yes, Alice Brandon is living with Charlie and me."

Rosalie's eyes began sparkling. "Great, why don't you invite her over to the party Saturday?"

"I don't think she does teenage parties. Besides, Alice and I aren't exactly friends."

"All the more reason to invite her. To show her how the other half lives. As for parties, every week her face was in some magazine as she came and went to those…" She twirled her finger in the air looking for the right words. "Those fancy schmancy parties all the rich kids attend"

"My point exactly, no way she would be interested in our little parties."

"You wouldn't know until you've asked her." Emmett commented and Rose blew him a kiss.

"Exactly, this is why he is my boyfriend." They stared into each other's eyes lovingly.

I felt like I could barf. "Well, I have to get back to work."

"While you are at it, will you bring us some chocolate milkshakes and some apple pie?" Emmett asked placing an order for both of them.

I nodded already heading back to the counter. I placed my three orders and helped Jane to prepare them. "I see that Emmett and Rosalie are here. Remind them to keep the heavy petting to a minimum." Jane said, giving them the stank eye. Rose saw her and gave a small wave.

"Don't worry, I have them oath bound to behave in here." I placed their milkshakes next to their apple pie and some chocolate croissants for table six.

I leaned on the kitchen counter to get a better view into the kitchen. "Hey Esme, do you think you can take a piece of chocolate cake to Doctor Cullen's table? My hands are full."

She turned around to face me. "You're the waitress Bella, serving the clients is your job." She scolded, but she was already untying her apron heading to the kitchen door. I hid my smile as I picked up my fully loaded tray.

"Tell her not to forget to smile." I said to Jane from the corner of my mouth. Jane nodded as Esme walked through the door.

I delivered Rose and Emmett's order, while keeping an eye on Esme. She placed the cake on his table and said something that brought out the dimples in his cheeks.

"Are you playing cupid again?" Emmett asked. Rosalie and I shushed him at the same time as we watched how Esme giggled like a schoolgirl at something Carlisle had said. She said something back and then headed back to the kitchen.

"They just need a little push." I said smiling.

"All the best men do." Rose commented, earning her a look from Emmett. "What?"

"Are you saying that I needed a push?"

Rose smiled. "More like a shove."

I chuckled as I delivered table six's order. Rose was not your typical blond. The cute redhead signaled me for the bill.

"Did you manage to write your poem?" I asked as I handed over the bill holder

"I did. This place turned out to be quite inspirational."

"Only the place?" I asked clearing away the single plate and coffee cup.

"Maybe - you may keep the change." She handed me back the bill holder as she got up. "Enjoy your evening, Bella." She said with a smile as she walked to the exit.

"You too." I walked back to the counter. "I guess it is not my lucky night." I informed Jane as I handed her the bill holder. "She didn't give me her number."

Jane opened the holder. "Well she did give you a nice tip and she left you this as well." She held up a piece of paper. I grabbed it smiling. In neat handwriting was her name and number with call me underlined beneath it. Smiling I shoved it into my jeans pocket. "And a lovely evening to you too, Beth."

"What was that?" Jane asked.

"Nothing." I deadpanned before getting back to work.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

**Alice in Wonderland.**

I did a little grocery shopping today. If I have to fend for myself, I might as well do it in style. I will most definitely not eat a silly little cereal for breakfast. No sir, all that crap cannot be could for my skin. Which reminds me, I am in desperate need of a manicure and a facial wouldn't hurt. This silly weather in Wonderland cannot be good for my pores. It's surprising what retail therapy can do for ones self-esteem. Daddy is not going to like the bill, what can I say. A girl needs to indulge every now and again.

**Comments:**

**Glasses:** I'm glad to see that you're in a better mood. The depressing stint was not a good look on you.

**Flirty: **What do you mean? All looks suit her. She is a Queen.

**Blondie: **How do you know what suits her Flirty? It's called cyberspace for a reason. Being anonymous is the whole point.

**Muscles: **Did you beat the Red Queen into submission?

**Dork: **I'm sorry but I understood everything until the manicure part…can someone translate this into guy talk please?

**Bear:**Yeah, I'm with you…all this girl stuff is confusing. I'm glad you feel better though.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

I found Charlie in the kitchen as he finished preparing dinner. "Hey kiddo, how was your day?"

"It's school, can't be anything but boring. Yours?"

"It's work, can't be anything but boring." He replied automatically.

"Is Alice here?"

He took out three plates. "Yes. She came home at exactly, seven o-clock. I think she's in her room. Why don't you go tell her dinner is ready?"

"Yes Sir." I mumbled as I walked out the kitchen and headed up the stairs. I dropped my schoolbag in my room and headed down the hallway, knocking on her door twice.

"Enter." Forcing a smile, I opened the door. Clothes covered everything, the ground, her desk and her bed. It looked like a clothing bomb went off in here. What looked like a hundred shoes, were tumbling out of her closet. Who lives like this?

I found her sitting Indian style in the middle of her bed, a laptop open on her lap and earphones dangling around her neck. "Yes?" She inquired looking over the screen of the laptop.

"Uh – dinner is ready." I said still looking at what was supposed to be a room. Was that a pile of dirty socks?

"Great, I'm starving." She shut the laptop and scooted to the edge of the bed.

"How do you live like this?" The question spilled from my lips without permission.

She looked around her. "Actually, I wanted to ask when The Help was going to clean my room. Did you not inform her that you had a guest living with you?"

"Excuse me, the what?" I asked slightly baffled.

She made her way towards me. "The Help." I just looked at her. "You know, people who are more than happy to clean the house, wash and iron your clothes and do whatever you ask of them for meager pay."

"I know who and what The Help is, Princess. I was just trying to figure out why on earth you would think that we actually employed people like that."

She stood in front of me now, her hands on her hips. "You don't have people who do your cleaning for you?" I shook my head ever so slightly from side to side. "Then who does your cleaning?"

"That would be me."

She looked at me in shock. "Isabella, you can't possibly tell me that nobody is going to clean my room."

I smiled putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Oh no, there is someone who is going to clean this…" I looked around the room. "Mess, if one can even call it that."

"Oh good." She sighed with relief.

"That person would be you, Princess." I patted her shoulder. "I suggest you do it quickly, before you bring back the black plague or some disease like that." I turned on my heel and walked down the hall.

"That is not funny, Isabella."

"I wasn't trying to be." I muttered walking down the stairs.

"Isabella – tell me you're joking." She shrieked panic in her voice.

"Joking about what?" Charlie asked popping his head out of the kitchen.

"Manual labor." I informed him, slipping past him in the doorway. Man was I hungry.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

Alice walked into the kitchen and I immediately noticed her droopy eyes. "You look like crap, long night?" I asked suppressing a smile as I waited for the toaster to warm my pop-tart.

She pulled a face at me. "Shut up." She grabbed a bowl from the cupboard placing it on the counter before walking to the fridge.

"Ooh not very friendly." The toaster's catch released. I grabbed the warm pop tart and quickly placed it on a plate, before it could burn my fingers. I inhaled the chocolate fudge smell, my stomach already grumbled in anticipation.

"You won't be friendly either if you stayed up all night, cleaning your room." She said from inside the fridge before closing the door, a big tub of Fage Yogurt and a small container of fresh strawberries in her hands. Looks like someone did some shopping. "How do you do it?"

"Well Princess, I use this technological entity called a laundry basket and this storage facility called a closet. They do come in handy from time to time."

"Hardy har har."

"Well you asked." I took a bite of pop-tart watching as she poured yogurt into the bowl and added a few strawberries.

She grabbed a spoon from the drawer. "Well I didn't want a sarcastic answer."

"Look, it's fairly simple. Instead of using your floor as a closet, use the actual closet. Dirty clothes go in the basket and voila, no mess to clean up."

"It's that easy?"

"Yes." I ate the last of my breakfast, placing the empty plate in the sink. "Why was your whole room covered in clothes in anyway? You've only been here for a like three days."

She swallowed, her eyes swiveling towards me. "Only three days? Somehow it feels more like a year." I ignored her dramatics, raising my eyebrow in an inquiring manner. She sighed. "It was all the different outfits I tried on before I found the right one."

"You mean to say that you put on each and every item to see what goes well together?"

She looked at me as if I've gone mad. "How else are you going to find the best outfit, Isabella?"

I opened my mouth to give her a logical answer and then changed my mind. "Just forget I asked you a question in the first place."

I turned and headed out of the kitchen. "Well you did ask."

"That was because I was expecting an intelligent answer." I muttered as I walked out the door. "Oh and Princess, there is Red Bull on the fridge. It looks like you might need it." As and afterthought I added, "And I want to leave in ten minutes, so hurry the hell up."

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

"I've got great news." Angela said excitedly sitting down next to me in the cafeteria. "I'm going to the movies with Ben."

"Don't you mean you're tagging along with me and Ben?" Eric asked.

"Wait," I looked from her to Eric and then back at her. "Are you tagging along on a date with Ben and Eric?"

"Now wait just a minute." Eric objected.

I went on, ignoring Eric. "Really Angela, you can't be that desperate."

"It's not a date." Eric protested vehemently.

"What is not a date?" Emmett asked as he placed his tray on the table, sitting down next to Eric.

"Eric and Ben are going to see a movie… at night… only the two of them… alone in the dark theatre." Emmett slowly looked at Eric and then he moved away an inch or two. "Seriously, I didn't even know Ben was gay." I teased Eric further, by now he was spitting fire.

"He can't be." Angela said. "He flirts with me all the time."

I shrugged. "So then he is Bi."

"Would you stop it? For the last fucking time, it is not a date." Eric fumed. Angela and I took one look at each other and then broke out in fits of laughter.

"Dude, you like got spit all over my French fries." Emmett moved his tray away from Eric who was staring daggers at him. Emmett punched his shoulder playfully, "Chill dude, they are only teasing."

"So how did you end up going to the movies with them?" I asked Angela, once we stopped laughing.

"Ben asked if I wanted to go see _'Captain America'_ with him. I said yes and the next thing I know, Eric is telling Ben how he was also planning to go see that movie this weekend. Being the gentlemen he is, Ben invited Eric along."

Emmett froze midway into taking a bite from his cheeseburger. He placed it on the plate and faced Eric. "Are you serious? You're like totally crashing their date."

"No I'm not. I'm taking someone with me. It's going to be a double date." Eric said, his anger long gone.

Emmett shrugged. "Cool, just checking that you weren't a total ass. So who are you taking?"

As Emmett took a humongous bite out of his cheeseburger, Eric looked at me smiling. "Oh no, Forget it. I'm not going with you."

"Please?"

"No."

"Pretty please, with extra cherries on top."

I shook my head. "The physical appearance of the please is not going to magically change my mind."

Eric looked from me to Emmett. "Nah huh, dude. Rosalie will kill me if I cheat on her, especially with someone as skinny as you."

"Dammit." Eric muttered. Angela and I laughed again. He looked at Angela and waggled his eyebrows. "Well, you could always turn that twosome into a threesome.

"In your dreams."

"In my dreams, it was pretty good." Eric said thoughtfully and was just in time to dodge a ketchup-covered chicken nugget that Angela threw at his head. Unfortunately, it landed in the middle of Alice's chest.

"I am so sorry. I didn't mean…"

Alice cut her apology short. "Do you have any idea how much this cost?"

"Don't you get your clothes for free?" I asked already irked by the attitude she was giving Angela.

"So you think it's like okay to throw random food at people. If you're like jealous or something you can just like say so." Cindy threw her blond hair over her shoulder, staring down at me.

"Is the word like your sponsor? Do they pay you a dollar for every time you say the word like?" I asked and Angela snickered next to me.

Alice looked from Angela to me. "Why don't you put a muzzle on your girlfriend?"

"Why don't you put a leash on yours?"

Cindy stepped forward, her hands balled into fists. Emmett got up and stood between her and the table. "Just relax, here's the thing. Eric here," He tapped Eric at the side of the head. "Was being a total idiot as always and Angela was just trying to put him in his place. She already apologized. I'm sure she'll dry-clean your shirt for you if you insist, but it was just an accident."

I don't know if it was because of Emmett's build or the way he could defuse a situation, but Alice took Cindy by the arm and pulled her back gently. "Calm down, Cindy. Angela is it?" Angela nodded her head. "Try to act more civilized will you, I'm sure there is a lady in there somewhere."

I grabbed Angela's arm under the table, keeping her from jumping up and doing something stupid. Alice removed the nugget from where it still clung to her chest and dropped it on our table. "Come Cindy, I think that I have a spare shirt in my locker." With that, she turned on her heel pulling Cindy behind her as they left the cafeteria.

"Man, she is such a bitch." Angela said and I finally let go of her arm.

"Yeah well, I told you so."

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

Mr. Hewitt wasn't in the class yet, so I took advantage of the opportunity to give Alice a piece of my mind. I dropped my bag on the ground and sat down facing her. "I think you owe Angela an apology?"

"I owe her an apology? Are you crazy? She was the one who totally ruined a perfect outfit."

"There is nothing wrong with the one you are wearing now."

"This," She slightly pulled on the black shirt. "Doesn't compliment my jacket like the grey one did."

I ran my hand through my hair. "Well we did explain that she didn't do it on purpose. She is one of the kindest people I know and she doesn't deserve being bitched at for something that she sincerely apologized for."

"I'll see if I can fit an apology to your girlfriend, into my schedule." She looked down at her book, clearly ending the discussion.

"She is a girl and a friend. Don't confuse the two, Princess." She just ignored me.

I got out my textbook as Mike appeared at Alice's desk. "Hey there, sexy." He said sweetly, sitting on the corner of Alice's desk. He smelled like a cheap prostitute and I instinctively moved away from him.

His cologne didn't affect Alice at all. She leisurely looked up from her book and smiled. "Hey, Mike." I groaned. Did she have to encourage him? Mr. Hewitt had better get to class soon. I might just kill myself if I have to listen to these two flirting with each other.

"I was wondering if you would do me the great pleasure of accompanying me to a motion picture this Saturday night." Oh dear Lord, did he swallow an 18th Century book?

"Oh, I'm sorry. Cindy and I are already going to a party Saturday night."

Mike looked like someone ran over his puppy. Then, as if a switch had been flipped, he smiled again. "What about earlier in the day then?"

"Mike," She placed a gentle comforting hand on his arm. "I think you should know that I don't swing that way."

"Oh…" He responded quickly and then grasping what she said he stood up abruptly. "Oh…uh never mind then." He walked to his seat and took out his book opening it to some random page. Alice and I began laughing at the same time. We looked at each other in surprise and then realizing that we were enjoying a moment together, we stopped laughing and looked away. Mr. Hewitt hurried into the class and began handing out notes on today's lesson.

"You know I always find it funny when someone says that they don't swing that way." I said breaking the uncomfortable feeling between us.

"Why?"

"Because, does that mean we swing sideways? If so, do Bisexuals alternate between the two?"

She looked at me and then slowly began to smile. "You have a weird way of looking at things, Isabella."

"I just have a different kind of way, Princess." We shared another look before focusing our attention on Mr. Hewitt.

Did I just have a somewhat normal conversation with Alice?

**A/n First****ly, the response to this story is amazing and very heartwarming. Thank you to everyone who reviewed. I do appreciate it allot. Secondly, some of the anonymous reviewers asked, if you'll find out whom the people are who comments on the Alice's blog? Yes you will, much later on in the story though.**

**Until next chapter…**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don not own anything. Accept this story. So don't sue.**

**Chapter 4**

"Behind you dude, behind you." Emmett pressed some buttons on the controller and blasted the shit out of an alien on the TV screen in front of him. I ate some potato chips as blood oozed from the dead alien on the screen.

"So you didn't invite her to the party because?" Emmett inquired not taking his eyes from the screen.

"She's already attending some party with Cindy. No – don't shoot its stomach. Those little fuckers come out of there, I hate those things." Emmett didn't listen and cursed loudly as the small creatures attacked him. "I told you." He just grunted in response. "Anyway, do we really want her at the party, considering the little incident in the cafeteria the other day?"

"Good point, where is she in anyway?" Emmett asked quickly eating a handful of chips. He wiped his hand on his jeans before continuing to walk down a bloody corridor.

"At Cindy's, I think. You know what I don't get. Why doesn't Isaac speak?" I asked as a scientist began explaining how Emmett's character, Isaac, was sure to die.

"Hello, aliens are crawling all over the spaceship. Obviously he is scared shitless." He gave me a use-your-fucking-brain look. I gave him a you're-an-idiot look. He smiled, turning his attention back to the game. "She's been going to Cindy's a lot, you think there is something between them?"

I shrugged and drank some coke. "Don't know and don't care."

"Here, you play." He threw the controller at me, "I need to go see a man about a horse."

I caught it neatly. "Remember to put the seat back down." I reminded him as he left he room.

"Okay, I'll remember to leave it up." He shouted in reply and I smiled. He really was a goof.

I've killed about ten aliens by the time he came back. He sat down next to me, helping himself to the bowl of chips. I paused the game and looked at him in mocked horror. "You did wash your hands right?"

He froze. His mouth fell open in shock. "Was I supposed to?" He slowly brought his hand to his face and smelled it. He shrugged, "Smells normal to me." He picked up a potato chip, holding it a few inches in front of my mouth. "Do you want it? It's extra salty."

I shuddered. "Gross Emmett, that is disgusting."

"Suit yourself." He popped the chip into his mouth. He chewed and swallowed it loudly. "You call yourself my best friend. Of course, I washed my hands,

I jabbed him in the ribs with my elbow playfully. "You know I was just playing."

"I know." He replied before taking a swig of my coke.

"Hey that is mine." I chastised him.

"And your point is?" I laughed at his nonchalant behavior. I waited patiently for him to place the glass on the table. Stealthily I clutched the pillow next to me. He sat back none the wiser, his head a perfect target. I whipped the pillow around, hitting him full in the face. He tackled me onto the ground, pinning me beneath him.

"Say you're sorry." He growled as I squirmed, trying to break free.

"Never."

He started tickling me. "Say you're sorry." I was laughing so hard I could barely breathe.

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry." He just kept on tickling me.

"Now say that Emmett is the coolest most merciful tickle lord in all the land."

"Emmett is the biggest dork in all the land." He laughed and I managed to get him of balance. I almost got away when he grabbed my ankle pulling me back.

"I'm sorry, am I interrupting something?" We froze, I was on my stomach and Emmett was hovering over me, his hands still on my sides. Alice was looking at us with amusement. It was the first time that I actually saw life in her eyes. Somehow, it made her seem more carefree.

Emmett recovered first. He stood up and helped me to my feet. "Nope, you just saved Bella from excruciating torture."

"Well, don't stop on my account." Alice said sweetly.

Emmett laughed as he sat back down on the couch. "I think Bella have learned her lesson.

I sat down next to him and picked up the discarded cordless controller. "Yeah, next time I'll hit you harder." I said un-pausing the game.

"Isabella, maybe you should pick on somebody your own size." Alice suggested from the doorway.

"You mean somebody like you?"

"I'll take a rain check on the rolling around on a dirty floor tickle battle or whatever it was that you were doing."

"Of course you would." I muttered and Emmett kicked my leg. I shot him a glare. He just glared back.

"Besides," she continued. "This outfit is brand new."

"Of course it is." I said softly and Emmett kicked me again, on the same spot. I mouthed the word asshole at him as I rubbed my leg. That shit really hurts.

He ignored me, giving Alice a lopsided smile. "Hey, do you want to join us?"

I heard her walking into the room. "What are you playing?"

"_Dead Space_." Emmett answered her, as I blew the arms and legs of an alien.

"That is so gross." She commented.

"That is kind of the point, Princess. Blood, gore, Aliens. What more could you want?" From my peripherals, I saw Emmett offering her some chips.

She delicately picked out a chip. "A life?" She suggested before popping the chip into her mouth.

"Oh would you stop being so uptight." I paused the game and held out the controller towards her. "Here, have some fun for once?"

She pulled her shoulders back. "Actually I have better things to do, like watching paint dry. Enjoy your evening, Emmett." He waved goodbye to her back as she walked out of the room.

I could feel him staring at me. I looked at him questioning. "What?"

"Sometimes, you can be a real bitch."

"Oh don't give me that shit. She knows exactly how to rub me the wrong way." I stood up grabbing our empty glasses. "I'm going to get a refill."

"Bella just consider how much easier things will be around here, if you give her a chance." I paused in the doorway but didn't look back at him. "Help her fit in, instead of showing her how she stands out all the time."

Sure, sure." I replied.

I walked to the kitchen and placed our glasses on the table before walking to the fridge. "Help her fit in." I opened the fridge and grabbed the coke. "Help can only be given to those who really want it." I paused at the cupboard to get an extra glass. "No way in hell this is going to work." I mumbled as I poured the coke. I replaced the bottle in the fridge and expertly carried the glasses to the living room. I placed all three glasses on the coffee table and picked up the extra glass. "If I'm not back in ten minutes come and look for my body."

I ignored Emmett's chuckle as I walked out of the room and up the stairs, down the hall and to her door. This is so stupid, was the only thought that ran through my head as I knocked on her door.

"Enter."

I opened the door, trying my best to smile. It probably looked like a smirk. If it did, she didn't say anything about it. Now that her clothes were packed away, her room seamed bigger. I spotted some photo frames on her desk and briefly wondered who was in the pictures. Remembering why I was here, I lifted the glass focusing her attention on it. "I thought you might be thirsty."

She was sitting on her bed, her laptop open in her lap. "What, no ice?"

I repressed the urge to throw her with the coke. "It's a peace offering, okay?"

"If the peace offering is for me, don't I have a right to suggest alterations to the said offering? It would make it easier to accept."

I shook my head, "Nope." I said popping the p. "Either accept it or throw it down the drain." I walked into the room and placed the glass on the bedside table. I felt awkward as I stood next to her bed, searching for the right words. Feeling frustrated I ran my hand through my hair shifting my weight from one foot to the other. "I'm sorry I was being bitchy."

She shrugged. "It's okay. I was being a horse's ass."

Yes, you were. "So you accept the offer?"

She picked up the glass, taking a sip. "It didn't come with ice nor is it diet. So it would only be fare if you clean my room for the next week."

"Don't push your luck, Princess."

I left after that and joined Emmett downstairs. He threw his arm around me as soon as I sat down, giving me a bone-crushing hug. "Atta girl." He kissed the top of my head and let go of me. "Now, let's kill some alien scum." I smiled, rolling my eyes at his silliness.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

I groaned as something poked my cheek. I snuggled deeper into my bed. I was poked again, this time harder. ""Are you dead."

My eyes shot open. Alice was hovering over me, her face inches away from my own. Instinctively I scooted away from her and fell out of bed onto the cold hard floor with a grunt. I sat up and glowered at her where she stood giggling at the other side of the bed. "Alice! What the fuck?"

"Don't be so grouchy, Isabella. I need your help."

I stood up, massaging my hip. How could such a small place hurt so much? "What time is it?"

"Eight am."

"In the fucking morning?" I glanced at the window. Dim light was filtering through the curtains. I looked back at her, "You're a spoilt brat, haven't you ever heard of a beauty sleep?"

She looked me up and down and I realized once again that I was half-naked. Note to self, we have to stop meeting like this. "It doesn't seem like its working. You look like crap."

"Gee thanks, now go sort out your own fucking problem." I lifted my covers and climbed back into bed.

Immediately she pulled the covers off me. "No, no, no. Your father isn't here and you're the only one that can help me."

I sighed and sat up. "Help you with what?"

She let go of the covers. "There is a spider in the bathroom."

I stared at her in disbelief. "What?"

"There is a humongous spider hiding in the bathroom." She indicated the size with her hands.

"Princess, I highly doubt the spider is the size of a football."

She dropped her hands to her sides. "It could be scientifically enhanced, Isabella. Fact of the matter is would you just come kill the damn thing?" She gave me a pleading look.

"You're such a pain in the neck." I swung my legs over the side of the bed. "I'm only doing this so that you can stop annoying me and I can go back to sleep." I picked up a discarded shoe from my floor and marched to the bathroom. I looked around for the huge spider but came up empty. "So, where is it?"

She peeked around the doorframe, her face as pale as snow. "It was in that corner there." She pointed to the darkest corner in the room. I crouched down near the corner and spotted a small daddy longlegs.

I looked back at her. "It's a daddy longlegs, the most useless spider ever."

"It's staring at me."

"You can't even see its eyes."

"I can feel them. He is sizing me up, just waiting for the right time to strike." I snorted. With a quick motion, I brought the shoe down on the small creature.

"It's dead. You can come in now, Princess." I rolled my eyes as she cautiously entered the bathroom.

"Flush the thing down the toilette."

I shook my head. "No, leave it there as a warning to the other spiders. It'll show them how badass you are."

She smiled before throwing her arms around me, hugging me tightly. "Thank you Bella." I patted her back awkwardly. "I promise never to bother you again."

"Can I have that in writing?" I joked.

She chuckled. "Seriously, thank you."

"You're not going to kiss me are you?" I joked and just like that, she dropped her arms taking a step away from me.

"I would rather kiss a monkey."

"I could arrange that, you could use a good kiss." I left the room quickly.

"You're impossible." She shouted behind me.

"And you're annoying." I shouted back. She slammed the door in response. I chuckled. Alice was afraid of spiders, who knew?

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.**

"Do you know where Emmett is?" Rose asked falling down on the couch next to me.

I stopped tapping my foot to the beat of the music. "He's right there, playing bear pong with some guys from the reservation." I pointed to the back of the room where you could easily spot his massive frame in the mass of bodies surrounding a table.

Rose took a sip of cheap bear, her face pulling slightly from the bitter taste. "Tell me again why you didn't invite Alice to the party?" I looked from Rose to the only other couch in the room. A couple, who normally wouldn't talk to each other, was eating each other's faces off. Yeah, Alice would have the time of her life here.

The tonsil war was starting to gross me out, so I looked back at Rosalie. "She's already going to some party with her girlfriend or whatever Cindy is. Besides, she and Angela had a little incident. I thought it best to not invite her."

Rosalie looked over at the small group playing guitar hero. Angela was smack in the middle, her fingers a blur on the guitar buttons. "Is that Ben cheering her on?"

"Yes. It is. Their date must have gone well." Eric said, sitting down on the armrest.

"You didn't crash their date after all?" I asked and Rosalie gave me a questioning look. I shook my head mouthing the words don't ask at her.

"Angela paid me twenty dollars not to." He looked over at the couple on the other couch. "Hey, get a room or a bathroom. Witch ever one is free."

The girl disentangled herself from the guy. Whispering something in his ear, she got up and left. The guy gave Eric the finger, before fallowing her. "That ladies and gentlemen is the epitome of being a teenager." Eric commented dryly.

"What picking up a STD at a teenage party?"

"Yes Bella," He took a swig from his red cup. "That and getting drunk while doing some dumb shit."

"Well, I would say picking up an STD is pretty dumb." Rosalie commented.

"No, that is just stupid." I nudged Eric, "Talking about being stupid, there will be no body shots tonight."

"Spoil sport." He said, making a face at me. "Hey make some room." He wormed his way in between me and the armrest, almost spilling some of his bear.

"You know, there is a whole couch over there." Rosalie said, as I was squashed between them.

"My girlfriend doesn't do threesomes." Emmett stated, materializing out of nowhere. For a person his size that was quite the feat. He kissed Rosalie before sitting down on the other couch.

"Maybe that is only because you are part of the equation." Eric teased, turning sideways and sprawling his legs over our laps.

"You are aware that Emmett can beat you up, Mr. Chicken legs?" I asked poking his skinny legs.

"You are aware that I'm the number one sprinter at school, he needs to catch me first."

Emmett downed his bear and then very dramatically crushed the empty cup in his fist. "You are aware that I know where you live."

"Both of you are aware that I," Rosalie pointed at herself, "Can kick both your asses."

I was laughing at their offended faces when my phone vibrated in my pocket. I squirmed as I tried to manipulate the confined space, trying to reach it. Rose kept on giving me annoyed looks as I finally removed the object. An unknown number flashed on the screen. "Hello?"

"Thank God, Bella is this you?" A girl's voice replied.

"No, this is Santa Clause." Who else would it be?

"I don't have time for sarcasm right now, you have to help me."

The girl sounded frantic and I sat up paying more attention. "Who is this?"

"It's Cindy. You have to help me." She was breathing heavily, as if she had just run a marathon. "It's Alice, she's vanished."

"What?" I stood up so fast that Eric fell on the floor. I ignored him as he cursed at me. "What do you mean she vanished?"

"Well we're at this beach party in La Push and she like wanted to go for a walk. I didn't want to go with her, so she just began walking. She hasn't returned yet and I can't find her."

"So you just let her go for a walk on the beech, all alone at night?"

"Yeah, I figured that she would like walk a little ways away and come back to the party."

Thinking was your first problem. I ran my hand through my hand. "Did you try calling her?"

"Of course, I'm not that stupid." So we agree, you are stupid. "It goes straight to voicemail."

Naturally. "Where in La Push is this party?"

"The first beach."

"Okay, keep looking. I'll be there as soon as possible." I disconnected the call, already on my way to the door when someone grabbed my arm. I turned around to give whomever it was a good lashing, only to find Emmett staring back at me. Rose and Eric stood right behind him.

"What is going on?"

Let's walk and talk, I'm in a hurry. They fell in beside me. "Alice is missing. She was at some beach party with Cindy when she decided she wanted to go for a midnight stroll."

"And Cindy just let her?" Rose asked as we finally made it outside.

"She has the mental capacity of a four year old, so yeah. She just let her." We had almost reached my truck by now.

"We're coming with you." Emmett said reaching into his jeans pocket and removing his car keys.

"This isn't really your problem."

"So you're planning to search the entire beach on your own?" Rose asked. "Because Emmett's Jeep is ten times faster than your truck and we'll cover more ground together."

Well, when she put it like that. "Fine." I changed course and headed to Emmett's big Jeep.

"I thought you didn't care about this broad." Eric asked as we all piled into Emmett's Jeep.

"I don't." I replied as Emmett peeled away, smoke billowing behind us.

"Then why are you jumping at the opportunity to save her?"

"I'm just saving my own skin. Who do you think Charlie's going to blame if something happens to her?"

"Not to mention her fans, groupies and stalkers would want someone to kill as well." Rose added.

"You're not helping Rose." I commented staring at the blackness outside the car window.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

Gravel flew in every direction as Emmett stopped at the beach. I threw the door open and jogged towards the bonfire. I was vaguely aware that the others were close behind me. Someone moved towards us. "What took you so long?" Cindy asked as soon as we were in earshot.

"We stopped for a manicure." Rose quipped. I ignored her focusing all my attention on Cindy. Her eyes were wide, she kept on glancing around her and she was nervously chewing on a nail.

I suppressed the urge to shake her. "Which way did she walk?" She pointed to her right. "She uh…" She bit her nail nervously again.

"Spit it the fuck out will you?" My irritation was running high.

Cindy looked like a scared little rabbit. "She uh… she did a bunch of uh…vodka shots with the others. She was pretty drunk when she uh…left." She began biting a new nail.

My hands were shaking as I tried not to scream at her. Letting a drunken girl walk away on her own, how fucking stupid could you be? I breathed in and out slowly. "Okay. Emmett you and Rose search near the forest and Eric and I'll take the shore."

They nodded. "Here." Emmett forced a flashlight into my hands. "You're lucky my camping gear was still in the Jeep. Eric you take care of her."

"What about me?" Cindy asked.

"You've done enough." I said and ignoring the hurt look on her face. I pulled on Eric's arm. "Come on, Eric."

We walked for twenty minutes. Every now and again, we would call Alice's name. It was getting colder, if we didn't find her soon things could take a turn for the worst.

"Do you think she wondered into the woods?" Eric asked. His hands were tucked in his pockets.

"I hope not. We grew up around here. We can survive on our own in these woods. A city girl and a pampered one at that, doesn't have a snowballs chance in hell." My eyes followed the flashlight as I swept it across the sand.

"Did you hear that?" Eric asked suddenly grabbing my arm making me stop. I listened. All I heard was the roaring of the waves and Emmet calling Alice's name far off in the distance. Then something yelped.

Eric and I looked at each other for three heartbeats and then took off in the direction of the noise. As we got closer, the sound became more distinct. "Is that barking?"

"Sounds like it." Eric replied as we neared what looked like a tree. A huge black dog bolted towards us and ran Eric over. He started licking his face as Eric struggled to get out from under him. "Gross, cut it out. Get of me."

I shooed the dog away and helped Eric to his feet. "Wow, you're a regular Doctor Do-Little aren't you?"

"It's not funny." He replied as he watched the dog run big circles around us.

"He must have gotten of his leash."

"Or someone dumped him for being a bad dog." Eric muttered as he leaned against the tree, trying to catch his breath.

"Is that thing gone?" A small voice asked.

Eric eyes widened. "Did the tree just talk?"

"No you idiot, are you high or something." The voice said again. Eric shoved away from the tree and was by my side before I could even register that he moved. I shined the light into the tree and straight into the face of Alice. She was sitting on a branch, her arms around her legs.

I lowered the light. "Alice, thank heavens we found you. Come on down."

"Not while that wolf is still around." Her words were slurred and she was swaying slightly. She definitely did more than just a couple of shots.

"Wolf? What wolf?" Eric asked and then the dog barked excitedly in the distance. "Oh you mean the dog."

"I know what a dog looks like. That thing is not a dog."

Dear Lord give me strength "Alice, it's a dog. The worst it could do is lick you to death. Besides, Eric here can protect you."

"The guy that thinks trees can talk. Thank you Isabella, that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside."

"Hey, what are you…"

I nudged Eric's side, interrupting him. "Call Emmett and Rosalie and tell them we found her." He mumbled something inaudible as he got out his phone. "Princess, I would like to go home and take a nice warm shower before going to bed. Now, either get out of the tree on your own or I'll climb up there and kick you out."

"Hot chocolate." She replied.

"What?"

"I would like some hot chocolate."

"Insolent little, ugh" I kicked the ground in frustration. "Fine I'll make you some hot chocolate when we get home. Now, get out of the fucking tree." She smiled and slowly climbed out of the tree. I stood beneath her, my arms raised incase she fell.

"Good you got her out. Emmett and Rosalie are heading back to the bonfire. We can meet back up with them there." Eric said as Alice joined us back on mother earth.

I nodded my head and started walking back the way we came. "Uh Bella…" Eric called and I looked back. Alice was walking in the opposite direction and she was zigzagging all over the place.

I ran to her and grabbed her arm. "Princess, your carriage is this way."

"Really?"

"I promise." I muttered as I threw one of her arms across my shoulders, supporting her weight. Slowly we began walking back.

"Why are you here in anyway?" She asked looking at the ground.

"Cindy called me." I mumbled. For such a small person she weighed quite a lot. Eric slipped her other arm over his shoulders and helped me to support her. "That reminds me, why is your phone off?"

"I had an argument with my father. I kind of threw my phone against the wall. I'll buy a new one tomorrow"

"Of course you will."

"Alice, why did you go for a walk all on your own in the dark?" Eric asked.

"I've never been to a beach. The smells and sounds are so exciting. I wanted to enjoy all of it." She sounded like an excited little girl.

"You know Princess, for a smart person you are pretty good at stupid."

**Alice in Wonderland.**

When I lay me down to sleep. A bottle of vodka acting as my sheep. If I find myself awake, another shot of vodka I will take.

I am never drinking again…

**Comments:****  
><strong> 

**Glasses:**Sounds like someone had some fun.

**Blondie:**Sounds like her night was legendary. I have plenty of those.

**Bear:**That is what they all say.

**Muscles:** A post I really understand. Have one on me.

**Flirty:** Drink with someone. More precisely, drink with me.

**Dorky:** Why didn't you invite me to the party?

**A/n Thank you for the amazing reviews, each and everyone made my day. I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter.**

**Until the next chapter…**

.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I just mess around and have some 'fun' with other people's toys.**

**Chapter 5**

A resounding scream pierced the air. Charlie and I both dropped our sponges and ran to the house at top speed. We burst through the door when Alice screamed again. We made a sharp left at the back of the kitchen and ran down the basement stairs two at a time.

"Isabella Swan!" She screamed at me as I arrived at the bottom of the stairs two seconds ahead of Charlie. He started looking around the basement for an axe murderer while Alice glared a thousand dagger stare at me.

"What is wrong?" Charlie asked, as he checked inside the dryer. "We thought someone was trying to kill you?" _Yeah, someone is going to hide in there Mr. Master Detective_.

"Something worse than death, happened to me. Isabella ruined my clothing." Alice accused, focusing for the first time my attention on the miserable looking pile of clothes at her feet.

Charlie and I shared a look then he held up his hands in surrender. "Bella I will leave this to you. The Cruiser is not going to wash itself." He said, already heading back up the stairs.

"Coward!" I shouted after him but he only ignored me.

Alice stomped her foot. "Don't ignore me you little low life wretch."

I raised an eyebrow at her theatrics not impressed at all. "Why would I do anything to your precious overpriced clothing?"

"That is obvious isn't it? You're jealous. So you snuck down here like a thief in the night and dyed my clothes red.

"Whoa, back your shit the fuck up. I didn't do anything to your clothing."

She glared at me. "Look at it! It's red. Red, Isabella!"

I snickered. "Your observation skills are astonishing."

She grabbed the top piece of clothing on the pile and hurled it at me. "This is not funny."

I dodged the makeshift projectile easily and it landed on the floor with a wet thud. "Princess, did you sort your clothes before you started washing them or did you just wash them all together?"

She frowned. "You have to sort your clothing before you wash them?"

I shrugged. "Not unless you want clothing that is the ugliest red you've ever seen." I picked up the piece of clothing and walked over to her dropping it back onto the pile.

"How was I supposed to know that?" She sounded like a little girl who just discovered that Santa didn't exist.

I sighed. "Let me guess. Some person you underpaid did all your washing for you?"

"Naturally, not every one of us lives in the dark ages." She thought about something for a minute. "I think her name was Victoria and she had my clothes dry-cleaned, most of the time I just bought new clothing."

I toed the pile of wet clothing. "Not all of us have someone to cater to our every whim."

She ignored my last statement. "How do I fix it?"

"You can't. Unlike most things, money can't fix this particular problem. You'll just have to wear it like this."

She looked at me in appall. "You've got to be kidding me. This color would just not work with my complexion."

"Then burn it, throw it away or donate it. I really don't care." I suggested, already fed up with this little situation.

"You're right. I'm sure that some homeless person will be more than delighted to take these of my hands. It might even make their day." Alice said, smiling as if she won some prize.

"Yeah, having expensive clothes covering your arse while you have no home, food or general hygiene will just make your life so much easier." I replied sarcastically.

"Just think Isabella, then even homeless people will be dressed better than you."

"Look at that." I pointed to nowhere in particular. "That is all the fucks I give."

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

"There is no way in hell that I am touching that water." She backed away from the mop and bucket of water so fast, a cat on a hot tin roof couldn't outdo her. "This is servants work."

It's been going like this all morning. I should have cleaned the house on my own. I would have been done like a year ago. "Look Princess, this was Charlie's idea. He said that you had to help me. Take it up with him when he gets home."

She lifted her nose an inch. Something I noticed she did whenever she felt insulted. I also seem to be the only one insulting her. "Oh I will. Until then I'll be at Cindy's." She began heading out of the kitchen. "Daddy will inform him that we will pay someone to do my part of the chores."

I snorted. "Does 'Daddy' do everything you ask him to do? Spare me the day you have to do anything for yourself."

Alice smiled. "That Isabella is why God created servants."

"Actually I believe it was people who think that their too high and mighty to clean their own shit who created servants. And by people I mean you."

"I'm still not going to clean this floor."

I shrugged. "You can always switch with me and clean the bathroom."

She pulled the most horrifying face she could muster and a shiver ran through her body. "I'll stick with the foul looking water, thank you very much."

I smiled. "I thought as much."

"Don't think I'm pleased." She commented.

"Princess, believe me. I don't think about you at all."

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

"You have got to be kidding me. Is no place sacred anymore?" I asked annoyed, as Alice sat down at a table in my section.

"What is it now Bella?" Esme asked. She was taking a well deserved break.

"Alice, my personal pain in the neck, just sat down at table four." I said, as I methodically pulled a serviette apart.

"Oh. The girl who is living with you?" She inquired, stilling my hands and removing the remains of the serviette.

"More like overstaying her welcome."

"She is so thin, is she eating properly?" Esme asked with motherly concern.

"No, no. Forget it. You are not taking her under your wing. She is not going to be one of your strays."

I gave her my most evil look but it had no effect. "Why not? You turned out alright."

"What are you two gossiping about?" Jane asked, placing an overloaded tray of dirty dishes on the counter.

"The wicked witch that flew in on her broomstick and landed at table four." Esme said, bumping my hip with her own. "Or so I'm told in anyway."

Jane looked over, not even hiding her curious look. She turned back to me and winked. "She is cute. Did she turn you down or something."

"Nope." Esme said popping the p. "They're living together."

"Wow, you don't let grass grow under your feet, do you?" Jane teased.

It wasn't a joke. "Hell no...She is a spoiled brat. We don't even live in the same universe."

"Language, Bella." Esme scolded.

Jane and I both ignored her motherly nature. "What is wrong with her?"

We both looked at her. Alice was looking at the menu totally unaware that she was the topic of discussion. "For starters she calls her father daddy."

"Ooh." Jane nodded her head. "Yup, that is strike one right there."

"That's enough. Bella, go and take the girl's order." I mumbled something about having the worst job ever.

Esme flicked me on the butt with her drying cloth. "Remember to smile." She reminded me and I gave her one of my worst grimaces. She just laughed at me.

I stopped at Alice's table and took out my order book, a big fake smile on my face. Alice looked up and did a double take. "May I take your order?"

She composed herself but still stared at my toothy grin. "Oh look at that. You're finally in your proper place, serving your superiors."

"You've missed your profession. You should have been a stand up comedian. Now what can I get you?" Esme was watching me with an eagle's eye, so I still had to smile like an idiot.

"What is with all the smiling? Seriously, it's creepy." She was smiling now too, crinkles formed at the corners of her eyes. It was a good look for her.

I shook the stupid thought from my head. "Comes with the job, do you know what else comes with the job? Orders."

"Fine, I'll have a coffee, no sugar and with warm milk. Oh and a high fiber muffin."

"Right away." I took the menu from her and walked to the counter, glad to not be smiling at her like some fool. "Here is her order. Feel free to drop her muffin on the floor if you want to." I promptly and seriously informed Jane.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

A shadow fell over my book and I looked up. Alice towered over me, her eyes hidden behind a huge pair of Ray Ban sunglasses. It was a rare sunny day in Forks. Wanting to make the most of it, I carried a blanket outside, packed some refreshments in a basket and with a book for some company, lazed outside. "Do you mind, you are standing in my sun?"

"Ugh, don't shout." Her forehead furrowed and she massaged her temples. "I've got a splitting headache."

"Partying tends to have that effect on people." I commented dryly as she shifted her weight to her other foot.

She sighed and waved her hand towards the blanket. "Mind if I join you?"

I faked a shocked face. "Did Alice Brandon actually ask permission to do something?"

Her back stiffened. "You're right Isabella. What was I thinking?" Very dramatically, she sat down next to me.

"See, I knew the spoilt brat was in there somewhere." She ignored me and opened the basket of snacks I brought out with me. After inspecting some grapes, she popped one into her mouth. "Why yes, Princess. You may have some grapes."

She swallowed. "I'm sorry, did you want some?"

"No." I closed the book and sat Indian style facing her. "I just placed them in the basket to make my load heavier to carry out here."

She shrugged nonchalantly. "I heard that sharing is caring." She said eating another grape.

"No, no, no, no." I waved a single finger in the air. "Sharing requires someone offering something to you. This," I motioned towards her. "This on the other hand is stealing."

"Technically since I live with you, we share the same food. So that would make this eating."

"Yeah, eating my food."

"Come on now, Isabella." She pushed the basket towards me. "There is a whole basket full of food, plenty for both of us."

"Why I ought to…" I took a deep breath. "Why are you even here?

She rummaged through the basket. "Courtesy of my father, he banned me to this non-worth mentionable place remember?"

I rolled my eyes. "I mean what are you doing out here, Princess?"

"Right now…" She opened a small container and inspected its contents. "I'm eating." She ate a piece of fudge. "This is delicious, what is it?" She ate another piece moaning in enjoyment.

A shiver ran down my spine at the small noise, I shrugged it off and leaned forward helping myself to a piece. "This is a banned substance in every known diet. It contains everything that the body doesn't need and is commonly known as fudge."

"It's like a mini orgasm in my mouth." I chuckled. "What is so funny?"

I shrugged. "It's just that I could swear you've never had fudge before."

"I haven't."

I looked at her in bewilderment. "What kind of childhood did you have?"

"Well Isabella, as you point out on a daily basis, a spoilt one. One where you where taught the fine etiquette of being a lady, while others got to play in the park." There was a sharp bitterness to her voice and I wished that she wasn't wearing sunglasses so that I could see what emotion filled her eyes.

I never thought that with all the spoils of being rich she never could do the simpler things in life. Like playing in a park or eating fudge until your stomach ached. "Come on." I stood up and helped her to her feet before she could protest.

"Come where?"

I ignored all the dirty jokes that momentarily filled my mind. "We're going to have some fun." I bent down and grabbed my book and the edge of the blanket.

"I'm not going to play some stupid gross video game with you." Alice said as I slightly tugged on the blanket she was still standing on.

"Would you stop being such a prickle priss and just once in your life do something completely spontaneous."

She stood frozen for a couple of seconds and then slowly got of the blanket. "But what about Charlie."

I frowned as I picked up the blanket. "What about him? He is a big boy. He can tie his own shoes and everything."

"But what about the fudge?" She called as I headed towards the house.

"Bring it with you if you must, just come along will you?"

"But…"

I spun around on my heel and glared at her. "No Princess. No more buts. You're coming with me even if I have to throw your sexy butt over my shoulder and carry you there myself."

She smiled. "You think I have a sexy butt."

I groaned shifting the blanket in my arms. "Right now I think you are a pain in my butt."

She smiled and picked up the basket, then like a small girl, she skipped towards me. "Lead the way Isabella."

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

"What are we doing here?" Alice asked peering out of the window at a big grey building.

I turned of the engine. "I told you, we are going to have some fun, now come on." I opened my door and got out. She followed me reluctantly.

"Isabella, this isn't a strip club or anything is it?" She asked beside me while examining everything in the parking lot. There was nothing to find except a few cars.

"Does this look like a strip club, Princess? Besides, I don't even think Forks has a strip club." I opened the door and stepped out of the way so that she could enter first. Cautiously she entered the building. Shaking my head at her antics, I followed her.

She had stopped a few feet into the building and was staring at the activity in front of her. Men stood in groups talking loudly over the noise of pitching machines and the thwacking of bats as contact was made with the ball. "Cool isn't it?" I said in her ear. She just nodded her head, not taking her eyes off the action in front of her. "Wait here." I said, my lips slightly touching the outer shell of her ear.

She shivered and moved away from me slightly. "Where are you going?"

"I'm just going to say hello to a friend, I'll be back in a minute."

"Can I meat your friend?"

"Uh…sure I guess. He's this way." I jerked my head to the right. She fell in step beside me as I headed to the counter.

"Oh my God, the giant is your friend."

I gave her a look. "Behave."

"He is huge, Isabella." I glared at her but she barely noticed as she kept on staring at Felix. "What do you feed teenage boys in this town?"

"Lost princesses, so behave." I whispered as we reached the counter.

"Bella, long time no see." Felix leaned over the counter and gave me a hug. "Who is your friend?"

"Not edible." Alice murmured. Felix looked at me questionably. I raised my hand to my temple and made circle movements with my pointing finger.

"Actually you are but don't worry, I'll protect you from the cannibals." He joked ruffling her hair. This brought Alice out of her stupor as she immediately started searching for her hand mirror in her handbag.

"Felix, this is Alice. Alice, Felix." I introduced them quickly. Alice nodded a hello as she fixed her disarrayed hair.

"So how is Emmett?" Felix asked as he turned to grab a helmet and bat. "Still sulking because he lost the last battle I bet."

"He is still convinced you cheated somehow."

He placed the equipment on the counter. "Sounds like he wants a rematch"

"What battle are we talking about?" Alice asked her mirror back in the bag. Somehow, her hair was perfect spikes again. Of course, she would have perfect hair that magically falls back into place.

"Emmett and Felix arm wrestles each other once a month." I said handing him money.

Alice eyed his massive biceps. "Oh." She said as if that made perfectly sense.

I grabbed the equipment. "It's a testosterone thing. Come on, we actually came here for a reason." She followed me, glancing back at Felix every few seconds. "Would you stop that?" I chastised her.

"I'm sorry. He's just so big."

"I know but like Emmett he is basically harmless." I opened the gate to one of the batting practice cages.

"You know Isabella, when someone says basically it means that he could be harmful too." She informed me as she followed me into the cage.

I placed the bat on the ground and turned to face her. "That is why I'm friends with him. This way he won't be harmful to me." I held the helmet towards her. "Now put this on."

"Why?"

"Because, I don't want you to get hurt."

"Why would I get hurt?" I looked at the bat on the ground and then at the pitching machine a little ways away. She followed my gaze. "Oh hell no."

"Oh don't be such a baby. This is fun remember." I placed the helmet on her head.

"There is absolutely nothing fun about a ball flying towards your face at sound breaking speeds."

I picked up the bat and held it towards her. "I'll put it on the slowest speed." She just shook her head. "Look, just hit one ball and then if you still want to we can leave."

She eyed the bat wearily. "Just one ball?" She held up her finger to indicate the one ball.

I smiled in victory. "Just the one."

She grabbed the bat and took her place on the batting pitch. "Pull." She shouted once she was ready.

I chuckled. "Pull what? This isn't sharp shooting."

"Will you just shut up and press the dam button already." She demanded over her shoulder.

"As you wish." I pressed the button, the machine pitched a ball and with a little scream Alice dropped the bat and jumped backwards, the ball hit the net behind her.

She picked up the bat and rounded on me. "Are you crazy? I could have been killed!" She screamed at me swinging the bat widely.

I backed away from her quickly. "Calm down, that was the slowest ball and it would not have hit you. So take a deep breath, there is no need to go all bat shit crazy on me."

"No fucking way, you want to kill me." She took a swing at my head.

I narrowly avoided it and held my hands up in defense. "Princess, way would I want to kill you here? I would never get away with it. Besides do you have any idea how hard it is to get blood out of these clothes?" She glared at me, not amused at all. "Okay. I might have tortured you a few hundred times in my mind, I will give you that much. Seriously though, death by pitching machine… that's a front page headline right there."

Her lips pulled slightly at the corners and then slowly she smiled. "Why is it that I can't seem to stay mad at you?"

"I'm awesome like that." I deadpanned and grabbed the bat from her hand. "Now let me show you how this is done." I handed her the switch and marched over to the batting pitch. I took my stance and glanced over my shoulder. "Let it rip."

She pressed the button and I hit the super slow ball perfectly. I fist pumped the air. "And the crowed goes wild." I turned to her and mimicked the sounds of a cheering crowd. She just laughed at my silliness.

"So this is fun huh?"

"Yes, come here I will show you." I motioned her towards me. She gave me a playful glare before she walked over. "Here, take the bat and stand here where I stood." Surprisingly she did as I asked without any remarks. "Now," I said softly as I stood behind her. "Lift the bat like this." I slipped my arms around her and helped her to lift the bat to the right height. "Spread your hands a little."

"Like this?" She whispered.

"Yes, now bend your knees slightly." I nudged the back of her knee with my own. I was so close to her I could feel her body heat. I noticed her hair smelled like lemons and her hair tickled my face when she turned to look at me. My heart started beating faster and my hands turned all sweaty.

"Earth to Isabella."

Huh? I stepped away from her. "Sorry what was that?"

She gave me a strange look. "I asked if I was doing it right."

"Oh yeah, now just keep your eye on the ball." I waited for her to take up her stance and then pressed the button.

She didn't jump out of the way but she swung a little late and hit one of the worst foul balls I have ever seen in my life. Still she fist pumped the air like she hit a homerun. I shook my head at her antics. "Again." She demanded. So I pushed the button again and again and again.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

"I can't believe that she actually gave me the brush of!"

I glanced over my book at Alice as she fell onto the loveseat. She was breathing heavily, clearly annoyed at something. I refocused on my book not really caring what got her overpriced knickers in a twist.

I had just settled back into the perfect fantasy of the book, when Alice spoke up again, "Do you want to know what the worst part is?"

"Not really." I commented not even bothering to look up. A drop of mud daring to land on her perfect pumps was enough to set her whole world of course. Who knows what kind of crazy got her al hot and bothered like that?

"She actually believes that..." Alice shuddered, "She believes that I... That we..." She trailed of and I looked at her more out of annoyance than curiosity. She seemed like she lost some of her marbles. What was the word rich people used? Whimsical? No, that's not right. "How could she even think that I would ever sleep with someone with your background?"

Eccentric! That was..."Wait! What?"

"That is what I said." She shifted to the edge of her seat. "See even you see the idiocy of the thought."

Begrudgingly I bent the top corner of a page and closed the book. "Princess, back the fuck up for one moment. For now I'm ignoring the fact that I'm sure that you somehow insulted me..." I gave her an accusing look. She didn't even look guilty or ashamed. Bloody inbred bitch. "Just take a breath and then explain."

Much easier to sort out the problem than to try and get Alice to leave the room. "Haven't you been listening to me?" _Not really._ "Cindy is going insane."

"Ah, well ask the wardens at the sanitarium to lock you both up in the same padded sell then. I think if you bribe the right people they might even dye the straightjackets pink for you."

"Ha, ha. You're so funny. I don't think I want to share this problem anymore."

I smiled and opened my book. "Awesome."

It was quiet for about two seconds. "She thinks that I... no that we are doing the nasty."

I sighed, suppressing the urge to throw her with the book. Instead I calmly closed it again. "I've said it once and I'll say it again. That girl needs to stop thinking."

Alice raised her eyebrows. "You're not helping."

"And you're not explaining what the problem is, other than your after school booty call refusing to give you some booty."

"What? Are you jealous that I have the option of a booty call and you don't?"

"Now who is crazy?"

Alice stood up and started pacing. "Look, Cindy is the only person who doesn't expect anything from me. I get more from her than just sex."

"Good for you, I still can't see how this is my problem."

She walked a few paces. "Can't you like call her and tell her that there is nothing but mutual repulsion between us?"

Repulsion? Am I really that bad? "No."

She stopped in front of me her hands on her hips. "What do you mean no?"

"One, she is not going to believe the person she suspects that you are sleeping with. And two, I kind of like having you beg for something."

"I do not beg."

"Of course not, Princess. You don't demand. Oh no, you just snap your fingers and everyone magically do what you say."

She snapped her fingers at me. 'If only it was that easy."

"I'm immune to Princess Syndrome." I deadpanned.

A soft smile played on her lips and I could see that she wanted to laugh. "Are you going to help me or not?"

"Nope, sorry. You've pretty much filled up my quota of crazy in the first ten minutes I've met you. So you're on your own sista!"

"Isabella... think about it. If you help me with this I spend more time with Cindy and less time keeping you from..." She looked from me to the book on the arm rest then slowly back at me. "Not having a life or whatever the hell it is you do."

I sighed. Minus the insult she actually had a point. "Ask me nicely."

"That was me asking nicely." We looked at each other. The loud ticking of the father clock was deafening in the deathly silence.

"You really are spoiled, you know that right," I said breaking eye contact with her, her piercing blue gaze becoming too much to bare.

She started pacing again. "So you remind me everyday."

I shrugged, though she barely even noticed the motion. "Glad to be of service."

"A useless service." She turned around and paced to the other side. "What if I bought her something nice?" She asked thoughtfully.

"Gifts is a sign of a guilty conscience and the more expensive the gift the worse the betrayal."

She grabbed a decorative pillow and threw me with it, "So what is your idea, bright spark?"

I smacked the pillow away and rested my feet on the coffee table. "Oh I don't know." I opened my book. "I would take her some place nice and then tell her that there is no place I would rather be than with her, in this moment."

I settled into the couch as she paced passed me. "Do you think I haven't tried that?"

I ignored her. "Then I would say something about how ugly and common you think I am."

"But I don't think that you are ugly!" Her instant response caught us both of guard. I lost my place in the book and I didn't dare look at her. I could almost feel her gaze scorching me. Clearly she hadn't meant to say that.

"Only common then?" I joked dryly breaking the intense atmosphere. "Chivalry is not a good color on you. Just tell her that you won't come near me with a ten foot pole. Girls like to be reassured."

"Are you sure that you want me to insult you like that?" She asked softly, now standing in front of me.

I lifted my eyes to meet her big soft blue ones. "Do you want your daily booty call or not?"

I expected her to be the frigid ice princess she always was when I insulted her. Instead she looked at me with so much passion that it was making me feel uncomfortable. "Won't you be offended?" She pressed the matter.

"No. I will be sitting here not having a life. I will be none the wiser what you and Cindy will be discussing." As if to prove my point I pretended to read the book, ignoring Alice.

"Thank you, Isabella."

"Whatever, Princess." I commented as she left the living room.

Charlie found me like that, sitting in a dark room. The book was still on the same page as when Alice left a few hours ago.

**Alice in Wonderland.**

**I don't think the Red Queen is that bad... **

**Comments:**

**Blondie: **That is it? You don't think you have to elaborate on that a little?

**Bear: **Sounds like you gave her a proper chance.

**Flirty: **Give me a chance as well? I'll take you on the best date ever.

**Muscles: **I'm starting to get worried...did you show her who is boss?

**Glasses: **Always with the violence, Muscles.

**Dork: **The best part of today's blog was that Flirty actually thinks he stands a chance.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

**A/n No I'm not dead. I just had a hectic couple of weeks. New job, later working hours, hectic sports schedule. On the bright side, I wanted to give you a proper chapter. Not one that was written in a haste so that you awesome people can get an update. I wanted to write something actually worth waiting for. So this was what I came up with. Hope you enjoyed it. **

**Thank you everyone that reviewed on this story so far. It is much appreciated. **

**Until next chapter...I'll try my best to not make you wait as long this time. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything.**

**This chapter is dedicated to all the faithful readers that patiently waited for the latest update.**

**Chapter 6**

"I'm pregnant Bella." I stopped twirling the spoon in my coffee and looked up at Angela. We were at The Diner. She was hungry and I just wanted to get out of the house. Alice might be the size of a pixie but she sure can take up a lot of space, she and Cindy.

"Come again?" I said. "You and Ben were on like…" I counted quickly in my head. "Three dates. You slut!" I accused teasingly.

"Ben isn't the father." She paused for some effect. "Charlie is."

"Charlie? As in my Charlie? As in my dad?" I gave her a what-the-fuck look.

"Yes. You're going to be an aunt Bella."

"That is some fucked up shit, Angela." I took a sip of coffee and almost spat it back out. It was ice cold. Yuck. Have we been here that long? I wiped my mouth with a serviette, pushing the icky coffee away from me. "And FYI. That would make me a sister not an aunt."

"Well at least you are paying attention to me now." She pushed her empty plate forward. "You've been daydreaming for almost twenty minutes now."

"Being in thought is not daydreaming." I placed some money on the table making sure there was enough to include a tip. Waitress code, you never forget to tip.

She stood up as well. "Did you get lost in there because it was unfamiliar territory or what?"

"Hardy har har, no I was only thinking about…" I caught myself just in time before actually admitting to someone that I was thinking about Alice. All the time. And not clean thoughts either.

"Thinking about?" Angela asked nudging me with her elbow as we made our way to the door. My mind reeled as I tried to come up with something other than my house mate. My very infuriating house mate that I can't seem to stop thinking about.

I was still thinking about that, when Alice walked into The Diner just as Angela and I was about to exit. "Bella, Angela. Hey, mind if I join you?" My heart started pounding so hard I was afraid it might actually pop out of my chest.

"Actually Alice, we were on our way out." Angela answered her. I just stood there like a brain dead zombie.

"Isn't Cindy with you? You guys always seemed to be attached at the hip." Angela's comment sobered me up.

I looked around. "Yeah, where is the wicked witch of the west?" I asked. "Did she go park her broom?"

"Don't call her that." Alice gave me a stern look. "She has to do something with her mom."

"Cindy hates her mom." I commented, "You sure she didn't just blow you of?"

"Nobody blows me off, Hello! I'm Alice Brandon. People will sacrifice limbs to eat dinner with me."

I rolled my eyes, not impressed by her high and mighty attitude at all. "Whatever Princess, I prefer that my limbs stay attached to my body. They are more useful that way"

"Okay, well we should be going." Angela interrupted whatever Alice was going to say. "I still have some stuff to do. Enjoy your dinner Alice." Angela shouted over her shoulder as she dragged me away by my elbow.

"What the hell, Angela? I was still talking to her." I asked irritably, yanking my elbow from her killer hold.

"I know you have problems with her but I really do not have time for one of your love spats." Angela commented as we reached her car. I ignored that last part. We did not have love spats. I walked to the passenger side and glared at her over the roof of the car.

"I don't have problems with her. I don't like her. I don't like the fact that we have to share a house which by definition means we share everything. I especially don't like the fact that I have to take a cold shower every morning because, little Miss Princess does God knows what in the bathroom for two hours." I was breathing heavily after my outburst.

Angela just stared at me as if I was the dumbest person on earth. "You don't think I know what the definition of problems is?" A knowing look passed between us. "Now, get your ass in the car." She demanded.

I obeyed mumbling something about friends and the way only they could boss you around.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

Stretching and yawning I walked down the stairs. "Here Charlie, try some of this." Alice's voice came from the kitchen. I frowned, why was Charlie still here?

"Really Alice, I'm stuffed." Charlie replied grumpily.

"Nonsense, you barely had anything to eat." There was the sound of cutlery being moved around. I carefully walked to the kitchen, not wanting to alert them to my presence. He was seated at the counter, facing the door. Alice luckily was standing with her back to me. She watched him as he brought a spoon to his mouth. He ate it making soft noises of delight. "So what do you think?"

He forced whatever it was down his throat. "Hmm. It's delicious." He replied before basically inhaling a glass of juice. He was such a bad liar.

"Would you like some more?"

"No!" He shouted, covering his plate with his hands. As she placed the pan back on the stove Charlie spotted me in the doorway and wildly gestured for me to go back. I turned on my heel.

"Bella!" I froze. "Good morning, sleepy head. You're just in time for breakfast."

Sighing inwardly I turned around. "Morning. What's going on?"

"Alice made breakfast." Charlie informed me, his face looking a little green. Note to self, don't eat anything.

"Yes I did, no better way to start the morning. Would you like some eggs? It's specially made." Alice asked a little hyper. Behind her Charlie was shaking his head vehemently.

"Alice, I'm not that hungry. But thanks though." I said hoping my stomach won't voice its opinion on that matter.

She looked a little hurt. "Are you sure? The eggs are still warm." She indicated to the pan on the stove. The pan in question gave off a weird smell and whatever was inside it, could never have been eggs.

"Uh, Princess. I'm just curious. Why do the eggs look like some slime from a R.L. Stine book?"

She looked at me puzzled. "What book?"

"He is the writer of the Goosebumps series." Charlie said from the sink, were the food dispenser was going crazy.

"I've never heard of him." Alice said. No surprises there. "But, to answer your question. I wanted to make the eggs healthier so I added cucumber and lettuce to it." She said practically beaming. How could a person be so proud of such a stupid idea? If it was possible Charlie's face was turning even greener. Alice scooped some of the goo onto a plate and brought it towards me. "Here try some."

"Really, I'm not hungry... but thank you for the... uh" I looked at scorched toast, (Really, who can't make toast?) to the green slime, (no way that wasn't toxic.) to Alice's slipping smile. "The uh... champions breakfast you prepared but we're already running late."

"You? Not hungry? Are you sick or something?" She placed one of her soft hands on my forehead. "You always stuff your face as if there is no tomorrow."

I stepped out away from her and went to stand next to Charlie at the sink. It felt like my skin was on fire where she touched me. "Gee, thanks for the concern, Princess." I replied sarcastically.

"I'm not concerned. I just don't want you to pass your disgusting pheasant germs to me."

"Germs are germs, Princess." She ignored me. "And I'm not sick." I said as I watched Charlie fanning himself with the newspaper.

Alice ignored me as she picked up a spoon and dipped it into the goo. I was surprised it didn't dissolve. "Here just try some."

"Whatever you do, don't eat anything she gives you." Charlie whispered to me.

For the first time I willingly listened to him. "Alice, what part of no did you not..." She took advantage of my protest and stuffed the spoon into my mouth, almost knocking my two front teeth out in the process. All of that paled in comparison to the fact that my mouth and throat felt like someone poured acid down it.

"Well what do you think?" Alice asked excitedly. Behind her Charlie was giving me a sympathetic look.

"It sure does taste interesting." I said with a full mouth. There was no way I was swallowing this shit.

Alice turned to Charlie. "See, I told you she would like it." I spat the crap into the sink and turned back just in time before she face me again. "Do you want some more?"

"Nope, I really am not hungry. I have to meet Emmett for something before school. Are you done titivating or must I wait a few more years for you to get ready?"

"I just have to go finish my make-up. Be right back." Charlie and I watched her leave. As soon as she was out the door we started moving. I dumped the contents of the pan down the food dispenser. Charlie threw the toast in the bin and opened some windows.

"Do me a favour will you? Pick up some pizzas on your way home tonight? I won't survive another meal from the rocky horror step ford wife." I said.

He nodded. "I don't want to hear you making fun of my cooking ever again."

"I'll give you that much old man. You're a master chef compared to her." I teased him.

"Do you think picking up pizza would be enough to stop her?" He asked and I was glad to see the colour was returning to his face.

We looked at each other in a panic. "The cupboards..." I muttered. "Lock them."

Alice re-joined us in the kitchen. "I'm all done Isabella. I'm glad to see you are not a fossil. What happened to all the eggs?" She asked heading to the sink.

I grabbed her shoulders turning her around. "I was hungry after all. I couldn't help but to stuff my face."

"Really?" She asked surprised

"No not really, Princess. See you tonight Dad." I said over my shoulder as I ushered her out of the kitchen.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

They were arguing again. They seemed to argue a lot lately. Cindy was animatedly going on about something. Alice's hands were balled into fists on the table and her leg was jumping a mile and hour. I jumped in my seat when Emmett suddenly poked me in the ribs. He leaned forward and whispered in my ear, "You're staring again." As he sat back, he helped himself to some of my fries.

"Am not," I scoffed swatting at his hand, more out of habit than actual annoyance.

He snorted. I drew undistinguished symbols on the condensed water on the outside of my can of coke. "When are you going to admit it?"

I took my time finishing a... diamond? I took too long to respond so he poked me again. "Admit what?" I asked irritated, forcing myself not to look over at Alice's table.

He pulled my tray of food towards him. "That you like," He wiggled his eyebrows at me. "Alice." He ate a big chunk out of my cheeseburger. Where do guys put all the food? He fixed me with a penetrating stared and I took a swig of my coke to break eye contact with him.

Avoiding the answer to that question I looked over at Angela and Ben. Emmett must have focused all his attention on the burger because he didn't push me for an answer. Guys got so easily side-tracked by food. Ben and Angela were feeding each other pieces of a fruit salad. Maybe I was better off with Emmett... stupid people who are in love.

"Guys get a room." Eric said reading my mind.

"Get a life, Angela quipped back.

"Grow up." Eric retorted automatically.

"She is grown up, if you didn't notice Eric." Ben said leaning forward giving her a quick kiss.

Eric stood up abruptly. "Excuse me. I have...uh some math homework to complete before class starts." He didn't wait for a reply, he basically ran from the cafeteria. Emmett and I were the only ones who noticed. Angela and Ben only had eyes for each other.

"Everyone is lying today." Emmett said as I looked over at Alice's table. Cindy was still going on about something. Was that a lip quiver from Alice?

"What do you mean?" I asked, forcing myself to stay in my seat and not to go over to Alice and ask her if she was alright.

He looked over at Angela and Ben. "Eric gave me his math homework this morning."

I rolled my eyes. "When are you going to stop copying from other people?"

He un-wrapped a Hersey's peanut buttercup. "When are you going to admit that you like her?"

I grabbed the peanut buttercup before he could eat it. "I do not like her." I stuffed the treat into my mouth while he just un-wrapped another.

"Like I said, everyone is lying today. Even to themselves. You like Alice, Eric likes Angela... Cupid is crying his little heart out."

Something snapped. "Will you stop fucking saying that?" I glared at him. Je just smirked knowingly and ate his peanut buttercup like nothing happened. "Sorry." I apologized immediately feeling like crap.

"What are you two quarrelling about?" Angela asked finally sensing that there were other people at the table as well. I glared at Emmett daring him to say something.

He winked at me. "Oh we wondered if Ben would mind if you cheated on him with Bella." I kicked him under the table. Hard.

"Well that depends, will they let me watch?" Ben joked and we all chuckled.

I locked eyes with Ben. "Only if Alice wears her naughty school girl uniform." Angela kicked me under the table. "Ouch." I moaned rubbing my leg.

"You have a naughty school girl costume?" He made a hurtful face. "You've been holding out on me Mrs. Webber."

She shrugged, "Bella has a playboy bunny costume..."

"I do not..." I said highly offended.

Emmett squirmed in his seat uncomfortably, "Rose is the one with the bunny costume. She also has half a nurse's costume." He got lost in some fantasy. Was that drool at the corner of his mouth?

"What do you mean half a nurses costume?" Ben asked earning him a smack behind the head from Angela.

"Uh..." Emmett got up smiling sheepishly. "Just forget what I said, okay? Rose will skin me alive if she knew I talked about her... uh... never mind. Catch you later." In his rush to get away he fell over his own feet. He was up again and left without looking back.

"That's not fair." Ben voiced his disappointment. "He never answered my question. Angela and I both gave him a disapproving look. "What? Half a nurse's costume, you must admit. That is pretty intriguing."

"Not really." I commented. The bad nun one is much sexier." Ben was silenced as new fantasies played out in his head. Seriously men were so easily distracted. While Angela tried to get his attention, I shifted my attention once again to Alice's table. Cindy was gone. Even though she was sitting with nine other people at a table, no one was talking to her. In fact it looked like they were deliberately trying to ignore her.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

For the first time in my school career I was not paying attention in History class. Every five seconds or so, a silent sniff would escape from Alice. Either she did cry or she was on the verge of tears. No one was paying her attention but me, mostly because I was seated nearest to her. When she sniffed for the thousandth time I couldn't handle it anymore.

I shoved some Kleenex onto her desk. "You snot when you cry."

"It's allergies." She said as she sniffed again. "I'm not crying."

I snorted softly. "And I'm allergic to bullshit." The smallest of smiles played in the corner of her mouth. Why was my heart leaping at the sight of half a smile? She picked up the Kleenex and dabbed at her face. "Do you want to talk about it?"

She shook her head. "It's just some problem with Cindy."

"Did you get her pregnant?" This time a small chuckle escaped her lips and a warm feeling spread in my chest. I was the reason for making her face light up like that.

"No silly. Don't be stupid." She said sounding better than a moment ago.

"I thought I was being rather witty." She cocked her perfect eyebrow at me but didn't say anything. "So what is it?" She kept on ignoring me. Afraid that she might pull back into her emotional shell, I nudged her playfully. "Come on. You can trust me. Who am I going to tell?"

She studied me and must have seen something that convinced her I wasn't out to get her because she sighed and the whispered. "Cindy wants to take a break. She says that I'm not as glamorous as I used to be and that since I come to Forks people are starting to forget about me."

I had to fight off the urge to stand up and go pull Cindy out of the classroom by her hair. I frowned where did that come from? "So she was using you all along? Well Princess..." I started shredding a discarded page. 'I did warn you..."

"Yeah, yeah. You have a PHD in I told you so." She interrupted me. I smiled. "Stop gloating."

"I'm not." But I was and I wasn't planning on stopping any time soon.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

"How about this?" I looked over at Angela. She was holding a small black dress towards me.

"Seriously, I have rags that have more material than that." I replied uninterested.

She sighed, "Will you just go try it on?"

I took the dress and placed it back on the rack. "No. It's not Halloween, so there is no reason for dressing like a slut."

She grabbed the dress and shoved it into my chest. "You won't look like a slut. You'll look hot and desperate and willing and hot. Did I mention hot?"

"Like I said... a slut." I hanged it back. Two girls in miniskirts, fishnet stockings and tops that barely contained there robust boobs grabbed the dress. "This will be perfect for Tom. He always complains about having trouble taking my pants of."

Angela and I stared at each other. "That's just coincidence." She said.

"Sure." I said unconvinced.

"Bella, you'll never find anything to wear on your date if you pull your nose up at everything."

I looked at some cool leather jackets. "Then can I go home?"

Angela sighed as she walked pass me. "No."

I scoffed. "Why not?"

"Because, you need to get laid." Emmett said, his head popping over the railing of leather jackets I was looking at, giving me a fright. For his build he was way too stealthy.

Giggling sounds came from the girls standing closest to us. Oblivious to the curious stares, Emmett lifted a black lace G-string into the air. "You think Beth will go all Ape-shit if you show up only wearing this?"

I blushed and made a grab for the garment, he was just too slow and I hid the G-string behind me back triumphantly. "I think you need a kick against the head."

More and more people were starting to stare at us. Angela grabbed the garment out of my hands and gave it a once over, nodding in approval. "Yes, now this just screams 'Take me Honey I'm all yours.' Nice work Emmett." He made a stupid victory pose as he joined us.

Ignoring his idiocy, I tried to grab the garment from her. She just laughed throwing it to Emmett over my head. "Just think Bella. You walk through the door, you drop your coat. She sees you in this little number..." He twirled the G-string around his pointing finger, "She pins you to the door and ravishes you like you've never been ravished before."

"Stop it." I hissed. The earth can open up and swallow me anytime now. Seriously.

"Then say you'll wear it." Angela teased.

"No way!"

"Oh come on Bella. Tell me you're not even considering the idea?" A brief image of Alice pinning me to the door flashed through my mind. I shook my head trying to get rid of the seductive images. "Seriously, not even a little bit?" Angela asked misunderstanding my action.

"That makes one of us. Rose looked good against that door." Emmett commented dreamily.

"Emmett, forget the sexy clothes. She needs a vibrator." Angela said getting his attention immediately... as well as the attention of a shop assistant.

"Excuse me, but may I possibly help you?" She asked eyeing us suspiciously. I nodded and smiled at her enthusiastically.

"You see," I glanced at her name plate. "Shirley. My friend here," I indicated to Emmett. "Wants to surprise his boyfriend on his birthday and was wondering if you have this," I grabbed the G-string from him. "In his size."

She smiled and slipped and arm through his. "I'm sure we can find something for you sir. Right this way." He stared daggers at me over his shoulder as she dragged him away.

I turned to Angela. "So are you going to behave or must I get someone to help you choose the correct size of cuffs for Ben?" She retracted her hand from a bright pink mini-skirt and headed towards the jeans section. "Good girl." I muttered and followed her.

"You don't play fair, you know?" She complained absentmindedly as she scanned the merchandise.

I sat down on a chair watching her bite her inner cheek as she considered and reconsidered the jeans. "I didn't want to play in the first place."

She held up a pair of skinny jeans. "Now this isn't that atrocious. What do you think?"

I looked it up and down. Begrudgingly I nodded my head after I couldn't really find anything wrong with it. She dropped it on my lap. "Now be a good girl and go try this on."

"I prefer to be the bad girl..."

"Because, bad girls get punished." Angela finished the sentence for me. We shared a look and giggled softly.

"Fine, I'll go try this on. Go and save that assistant from Emmett." She sighed but left all the same. While she walked away I swopped the jeans for one size bigger and headed in the direction of the fitting rooms.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

There was a small line in front of the fitting rooms. I groaned when I spotted the spiky hairdo at the back of the line. I hope Cupid hits himself in the foot with his stupid arrows. My traitorous heart started galloping at a million miles an hour when I stood in line behind her. "I thought you and Cindy had plans for today?"

Alice turned around smiling. My heart skipped a beat. "Isabella, hey." Why was she so happy? "Cindy went swimming with some of the other girls."

"You didn't want to go join them?" I asked as the line moved forward.

"Are you insane? Public swimming pools are not hygienic. Not hygienic at all."

I studied her not buying the nonchalance attitude at all. "She didn't invite you did she?"

She folded her arms across her chest. "Are you deaf, Isabella? I didn't want to swim in germ invested waters."

I sighed and the line moved forward again. Alice was now at the front. "You're getting awfully defensive over germ invested water." She didn't reply and I didn't push her. We stood in silence until her turn came. Why can't I seem to have one decent conversation with her? I pondered this until another cubicle opened up.

I had just zipped my jeans when there was a soft knock on my door. "Sorry this cubicle is occupied."

"Isabella, open up. It's me, Alice." I frowned and opened the door. She slipped inside and closed the door quickly behind her.

"What the hell Princess? I could have been naked." She looked me up and down, her eyes lingering a bit too long on the jeans.

"It's nothing I haven't seen before." She teased making my heart race.

"Is there something wrong with your cubicle?" I asked irritably. Will she ever not have an effect on me?

"I need you to zip me up." She turned around in the confined space. I stared at her bare back. What would it feel like to caress that skin? To kiss it? I swallowed nervously, my throat suddenly dry. I reached for the zip, my hands shaking. "Is something wrong?"

"Nnnuu." I cleared my throat. "No." I gripped the zip at the bottom of the dress. The back of my hand brushed against her skin softly. Electricity zoomed up my arm and a small almost inaudible gasp escaped Alice. "Sorry. Are my hands cold?"

"Only a little." She replied softly, as I pulled the zip up. I was careful to not touch her again.

"There all done." I said and she turned around slowly. My breath caught in my throat at the sight before me. "Alice you look..." I struggled to find the right words. "Wow." Really? Wow... that is the best you could come up with?

"You too. Those jeans are a perfect fit."

I stepped away from her, trying to get as much space between us as possible. "You think I can wear it on a first date?"

Her eyes fluttered as she stared at me in shock. "A date, Isabella Swan is going on a date?"

"I do have a life, you know." I said forcing myself to look at her eyes and not down her plunging neck line.

"So who are you going on a date with?"

I smiled. "Why are you jealous?"

She turned to look at herself in the mirror. "No, just wanted to send them a warning. Beware of the psycho."

"Hardy har har." I replied sarcastically. I could breathe again. This I knew, trading insults with Alice I knew. These new feelings were far too frightening.

"Bella? Did you hang yourself with the jeans or something?" Angela's voice sounded outside the cubicle making me and Alice jump.

"No... But I'm considering strangling Alice with them." I said.

"Alice?" Angela questioned.

"Alice." I confirmed.

"Yes, Alice." Alice said opening the door. "Hey, Angela. Tell Isabella to find some different jeans, these make her look atrocious. She can't go on a date wearing them." What the hell? She liked them a moment ago.

Emmett appeared behind Angela. "Bella, you're a babe. You're definitely taking those." He declared. "Oh hay Alice, you look nice." He added as an afterthought, while looking pointedly between us.

I gave him a look that hopefully said mind your own business. "Oh, okay then. Since Emmett likes them so much" I rolled my eyes. "I don't know. They make me feel cheap."

Angela snorted. "It's not like you are going to wear them that long."

"Angela." I exclaimed blushing.

"Oh come on, we all know you are not a nun." Angela replied making me blush even more.

"I'm going to change." I declared desperate to escape from them. Alice was still in the cubicle so I delicately pushed her out. "Some privacy please, Princess." Without waiting for a reply I closed the door.

"You look nice Alice. What is the occasion?" Emmett asked.

"I have a date with Cindy tonight. Don't you think Bella should wear something different? She doesn't want to look cheap." I frowned what was with Alice all of a sudden?

I could hear Angela and Emmett chuckle. "Oh, a night of fun never hurt anybody. Plus Bella can do with some fun, believe us." Angela said.

"Especially, the horizontal kind." Emmett added.

"Hey." I protested. "I can hear you." I exited the cubicle, back in my own clothes.

Angela linked her arm with mine. "So go and have some fun with Beth tonight."

"And have some hot sex." Emmett added draping his arm over me.

"Who is Meth?" Alice asked behind us. "Is she in our school?"

I glanced over my shoulder at her. "It's Beth and she goes to school on the Reservation. See you later Princess, say hello to Cindy for me."

"Yeah, enjoy your date with Death." She replied, her voice oddly without emotion.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

"Would you like to come inside for coffee?" Beth asked, her tone indicating that I would get more than just coffee if I went inside. I stared out of my truck window at her house. Her mother was out of town and her father on a fishing trip. Neither would be home tonight. So why was I still sitting here?

I sighed in defeat. I really was in love with Alice. "Sorry Beth but I can't."

She looked confused. "Did I do something? I mean so far we had a good time. Or I thought..." She trailed off.

I leaned towards her. Taking her chin softly with my hand I turned her face towards me. "It's nothing you did. I'm an ass. Normally I wouldn't do this but... I don't know...I just can't. It doesn't feel right. Sorry, does that make any sense?" Now I felt even more like an idiot than before.

I let go of her face, feeling stupid. She studied me for a minute. "There is someone else."

"No... Yes... I don't know." I drummed on the steering wheel. "Most of the time I can't stand her."

She settled against the door of my truck facing me. "Tell me. I'm a poet. I'm all about un-identified feelings."

I looked at her. "There are no feelings. There can't be. She drives me insane."

She smiled. "Somehow I doubt that. After all, we're sitting here when we can be in there." She nodded her head towards her house.

"I'm sorry for wasting your time like this. I must be the worst date ever."

"Not really. You could have come inside, took advantage of me and I could never have heard from you again."

I smiled. "Well if you put it that way."

She chuckled. "Sorry you kind of spoiled the mood. But I do hope that things work out. Take care Bella."

"You too." She opened the door and got out. "Beth... thank you." She merely nodded, closed the door and walked to her house. I rubbed my face with my hands in frustration. "Alice, you'll be the death of me." I muttered into my hands.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

I found Alice in the living room when I came home. "I thought you went on a date with Cindy."

She didn't even bother to look at me, her attention on the TV. "We had a fight so we called it a night. How was your date with Breath?"

I sat down next to her. "You mean Beth?"

She pulled her feet onto the couch and it pressed into the side of my thigh. "Whatever."

"We called it a night too. Did you wait up for me?"

"No." She replied a bit too quickly. She realised this too and tried to cover her quick response. "I couldn't sleep because of all the stupid noises this stupid old house makes. Charlie wasn't here so I came to watch a movie."

And I'm the Easter bunny. I thought not wanting to press the matter. I settled into the couch. "So what are we watching?"

"The sound of music." Alice said turning up the volume of the TV.

"I love this movie."

"Can I ask you a favour?" Alice asked after about ten minutes.

I sighed. "I'm not going to make you anything to eat or drink, Princess."

"Dammit." She mumbled.

I chuckled. She didn't ask any questions after that. Somewhere during the movie she shifted and a little after that, she fell asleep with her head on my shoulder. Long after the credits rolled I was still sitting there, too afraid to move. I didn't want her to wake up. I enjoyed the feeling of her curled up to me on the couch too damn much.

**A/n No I am not dead. No I'm not abandoning this story. Turns out that you need time to write and I didn't have time for a long time. Plus there was a chain of unfortunate events that delayed this chapter somewhat and with that I mean a lot. But good news is I should update mote regularly from now on. **

**So I would like to thank all the faithful readers who stuck with this story never abandoning it while it was on hiatus. Hope the chapter was at least worth the wait. **

**Also since she is standing right behind me and had willingly sacrificed three nights with me so that I could write, I would like to thank my wonderful girlfriend for endless amounts of coffee, snacks, for being my soundboard and for being my muse. Dominique, I don't know how I ever survived without you. **

**Until next time…**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**Chapter 7**

My stomach voiced its opinion on the fact that I was ten minutes late for lunch. I slammed the door of my locker, locked it and hurried to the cafeteria. My stomach rumbled again. "I get it already. Food is on its way. Stop embarrassing me."

"Do you always talk to yourself?" I looked up, my cheeks flushing red. Alice sat against the cafeteria wall in a small miserable heap. "Earth to Isabella! Are you still earthbound or must I call the asylum for you?"

I sat down beside her. "I'm still as crazy as always. Do you want to tell me why you are sitting here like some beggar outside a restaurant?"

She looked at me highly offended. "Did you just call me a beggar?"

I shook my head. "No Princess, I compared you to a beggar."

She sighed, hugging her knees. "I don't feel like sitting through lunch where my friends ignore me the whole time."

"You need a dictionary so that you can look up the meaning of friends." I stood up and held out my hand. "Come on, you can eat lunch with me and the craziness I call my friends."

She looked at my hand sceptically. "Your craziness hates me."

"They don't hate you, they just don't know you. Plus acting all high and mighty all the time doesn't help either."

She studied me. "It isn't an act."

"I know. I was just trying to be polite."

She smiled at my honesty, but she still hesitated to take my hand. "Why do you care?"

"Princess you can either sit here in a pathetic heap or you can come with me and have some fun." Finally she took my hand. Tingles ran up my arm and I almost let go off her hand in surprise. Our eyes met briefly. She looked away and let go of my hand as soon as I helped her to her feet.

Our eyes met again and the atmosphere was thick with awkwardness... then my stomach rumbled. Alice chuckled. "Come on, before something happens to you that could land you on YouTube."

I smiled, "Heaven forbid something like that happening to me." I led the way to the door, holding it open for her. Some heads turned our way as we went to get our share of the mac and cheese. Alice chose a bottle of water to go with her food and eyed my choice of chocolate milk but said nothing.

"Are these separate or together?" The clerk asked. My heart started racing at the word together. _Oh for heaven's sake, get a grip Bella. _

"Together." Alice said. "It's my treat." She informed me paying for the food before I could even reach for my wallet.

"Thanks." I said, glad that my voice didn't tremble. She held her head high as she followed me to where Emmett and Eric were seated. She didn't even glance over at Cindy's table. I on the other hand stared at them blatantly, giving Cindy a bemused look before sitting down. Alice only hesitated for a second before sitting down next to Eric. "Where are Angela and Ben?" I asked before taking a big bite of mac and cheese.

"Don't know and don't care." Eric said. "More importantly, Emmett and I were busy arguing about whether our lovely headmistress is in fact dating the PE coach."

I groaned. "When are you going to let that go?"

"Never. Look." Eric said, "All I'm saying is, Coach Tucker looked way to happy when I told him Mrs. Archibald wanted him to fix her window."

"Is that code for something?" Emmett asked. "I fix your window and you fix mine?"

"Maybe he did just fix her window." I suggested.

"With what? His magic stick?" Eric asked. I almost choked on my milk. "Besides, what window takes two hours to fix?" Eric asked suggestively.

"How do you know it was for two hours?" Emmett asked before burping out loud.

"Pig!" I said disgusted. He made disgusting pig noises at me in response. I looked over at Alice to see what she thought of the craziness and found her laughing softly. She caught my eye and I winked at her. She looked away quickly. I sighed inwardly.

"Well thank you for that comment Emmett, your wisdom is astounding." Eric sarcastically drew our attention back to the topic at hand. Emmett did a silly little bow with his head, ignoring all the stares the other students were giving us. Some sophomore girls mouthed the words gross and disgusting at our table. "Back to the topic of discussion. Zoë told me that the assistant coach supervised there PE class. You know how all the girls are all crushing on the assistant coach. Anyway," He dragged the word out realising he was going of topic. "That was fourth period and I told him at the beginning of third period." Eric sat back proud of the evidence he brought forward.

"Well," Alice said playing with the food on her plate. "He has one heck of a stamina." I held my breath. This was the part where Emmett and Eric could ask her what the fuck she was doing at the table.

"Or maybe they do it more than once." Emmett suggested. I breathed out in relieve. They've accepted her. My chest swelled with pride, I have the best friends ever.

"But where in the office would they do it and in what positions." Eric asked.

"My money is on the carpet." Emmett said.

"No most definitely not." Alice said shaking her head. "Mrs. Archibald won't risk the carpet burns."

"You think?" I asked.

"Yeah, she is always fixing her hair or straightening her clothes."

Eric sat up at this new piece of information. "Was Coach Tucker near her when she was fixing the fore mentioned items?"

She frowned closing her eyes as she tried to remember. "I don't know, maybe."

"So that settles it." Eric exclaimed triumphantly. "They are together." Huh, how does that settle it?

Emmett chuckled, bumping Alice's shoulder playfully. "Alice the spy. License to kill."

"More like license to thrill." I commented dryly. Emmett looked from me to Alice. Then slowly he raised an eyebrow at me in silent question. I shook my head lightly and he gave a small shrug to show his indifference. Our entire silent conversation took place without Eric or Alice noticing a thing.

"So Alice. Inquiring minds want to know. What is it like driving a Porsche?" Emmett asked. With that one question Alice talked cars with the boys while I just ooh and aahed at all the right places. I also rolled my eyes in boredom as was required, though I wasn't really.

Alice's and my eyes met, ever so often and though we didn't say a word it felt like we had an entire conversation.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

I forced myself to breathe as I stood in front of Alice's door. My hands were sweaty and my heart raced as if I just ran a marathon. _Pull yourself together man. It's not like you're asking her on a date._ My pep talk didn't help at all. _Emmett and Rose will be there as well as Angela and Ben_. I groaned out loud. _No that doesn't sound like a couple thing at all_, I thought to myself sarcastically. _Stop it. Knock on the door you coward_. I banged on the door. "Shit." I swore, _oh just break it down why don't you_. I knocked again. This time like a normal person.

"Enter." I opened the door. Alice was laying on her stomach on her bed. She didn't even look up from whatever she was looking through. I walked towards the bed trying to wipe my sweaty hands on my jeans without her noticing. "Did you come to ask me to help you with a makeover?"

I scoffed. "Hell no."

She clicked her tongue. "Pity."

I pulled a face at her and froze when I reached her bed, I could finally see what was looking at. "Why are you looking through my family album?"

She shrugged. "I was bored."

I folded my arms over my chest. "Translation, you went snooping."

She smiled. "I happened to find it while I was rummaging through some cupboards in the living room, yes." She flipped some pages back and pointed to a photo. "I like this one." I lay down beside her. I was careful not to touch her. If those damn tingles attacked me while I was laying so close to her, I might do something I would most definitely not regret. Still the space between us practically vibrated with tension. I was such a sucker for punishment. "You know, there is usually a few dates involved before I invite someone into my bed."

"And by a few you mean one?"

She smiled knowingly. "It depends on the date."

I sighed. "Of course it does, Princess. Don't worry. I don't expect you to put out." Her lip jutted out slightly. _Was she pouting? Did she want me to make a move?_ I groaned silently on the inside. Forcing myself to focus on safer things, I looked at the picture in question. I was maybe five years old, sitting on the kitchen counter with a big mixing bowl between my legs. I was laughing at the camera, waving a big ladle in the air above my head. My mother was laughing at my silliness, both of us was covered in flour. A lot of flour. I traced the edge of the photo absentmindedly just staring at my mother.

"You look so happy." Alice whispered.

"I was." I whispered back not knowing why we were whispering in the first place.

"What happened?" She asked. She didn't have to say much else. I knew what she was referring to. Wordlessly I flipped to the very back of the album. There was a single sad picture. I was seven years old. Just old enough to remember. Charlie was hunching behind me, holding me to his chest. We stood in front of a grave stone. I held a single white rose in my hand, while tears glistened on our cheeks. "I'm so sorry, Isabella." Alice said emotionally, placing her hand on mine. Tingles licked against my skin, comforting me.

"Thank you." I looked at the picture one of Charlie's friends had taken without us knowing. "I've never shown this to anyone."

She squeezed my hand softly. "Well then I'll tell you something no one knows about me. I'm a sucker for photography. It's my guilty pleasure."

"You make it sound like that is a bad thing."

She shook her head. "To my friends, hobbies are going to fashion week in Paris. Photographs to them are annoying paparazzi wanting to take your picture all the time." She leaned slightly towards me. My breath caught in my throat. "You have beautiful eyes. Like pools of chocolate. Did you know that?" I shook my head afraid to speak. She let go of my hand and mine instantly felt cold. Her fingers touched the skin just beneath my eye. She pulled her hand back, her finger extended. "Make a wish." I looked down at the single dark eyelash that lay on the tip of her small delicate finger. _I wish you would fall in love with me_. I leaned forward and blew on her finger. A small soft gasped escaped from her full pink lips. Our eyes locked and I realised for the first time how close our heads were. If I leaned just a bit more I would be able to kiss her. As if on their own accord my eyes slipped to her lips. Staying there no matter how much my brain told me to look away. My heart drummed in my ears. _Don't. Don't ruin all the progress you made with her_. I cleared my throat and got up off of the bed. I didn't dare look at her.

"I actually came here to ask you if you would like to go play tenpin bowling with me and some other friends." I walked to the window and glanced out at the falling rain.

"I don't know how to play tenpin bowling."

_Breathe Bella, just breath._ I turned around and smiled at her. "Then I will teach you."

She thought about that and closed the album. "Okay, teach me oh great one."

"I like that. From now on you may only call me oh great one." She threw a pillow at me that I easily dodged. "Come on, we're already late."

"But I'm not even dressed."

I looked at her perfect outfit. "You look great."

She looked at herself in the mirror. "You think so."

"Yeah, now come on."

**_ Sometime later _**

"Never played before, my arse." Emmett said as Alice bowled another strike.

She turned around fist pumping the air before giving me a high five. "I had a good teacher." She informed them winking at me. My heart raced and I took my turn to bowl before they could see me blush.

"So what does she do to you if you are bad?" Rose asked. _A thousand curses on you Rosalie_, I swore at her in my head as my ball went down the gutter.

"What's wrong Bella?" Angela asked as I sat down.

Alice handed me a coke. "Oh, nothing much." I said glaring at Rose. Rose just smiled at me sadistically, messaging Emmett's thigh. I mouthed the word Bitch to her.

"Dinner is served." Ben said placing a tray of burgers and cheese fries in front of us. Emmett and Ben attacked the food right away. We girls waited patiently for the freak fest to end before claiming our share. I sat back with my burger noticing that Alice just stared at the food.

"Try it." I coaxed her.

"Do I have to?" She asked. I nodded my head, my mouth full of burger. Slowly she picked up a burger. We all stared at her as she just stared at the burger in her hands. Slowly she took a small bite. Her whole body relaxed as she chewed and a small loan escaped from her, causing a chill to run down my spine.

"I think she likes it." Rose said as Alice bit of a much bigger piece off the burger.

"More like love it." Ben said.

"Try to take it away Bella, see if she bites you." Emmett suggested.

"No thank you, I rather much like my hand."

"I can hear you, you know." Alice said, experimenting now with the cheese fries.

"We know." Rose said looking at Emmett in disgust. "Emmett, stop inhaling your food." He just ignored her and choked on a fry. "I told you." We all laughed as she tried to help him.

"This is delicious." Alice said taking a sip of diet coke.

I smiled timidly at her. "What? Did your live in chef never make you burgers for dinner?"

She shook her head. "No. I don't think he knows what a burger is."

I laughed at her little joke. "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself."

"Oh, I'm having a blast. Thank you for inviting me." She sat forward and kissed me on the cheek. "It's my turn again isn't it?" I nodded like an idiot. Truth be told. I didn't even hear what she asked me.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

"So what do you want to watch?" Alice asked as we studied the movie posters outside Port Angeles's one and only cinema.

"You're the one that wanted to come and watch a movie, you choose. I don't mind what we watch." I said reaching forward and fixing the collar of her jacket. She looked at the total of three movie posters. I expected her to complain about how low-key the cinema was compared to the ones in New York. Yet she kept on smiling as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other while she tried to make up her mind. Her indecisiveness was kind of cute.

"How about..." She paused, thinking about the choices again. "The new Underworld movie?"

I groaned. "How about no. Vampires and Werewolves are so over rated."

"No they are not."

I gave her calculating look. "Vampire diaries, True Blood, Being human, Underworld, Teen Wolf."

"Okay, Okay... you made your point." She interrupted me.

"Besides," I said. "It was rotten on Rotten tomatoes."

She looked at me dumbfounded. "Am I supposed to know what that means?"

"Uh... the site that rates movies on the reviews it gets." She still just looked at me. "A movie can either be fresh or rotten. Ding, ding ring any bells yet, Princess?"

"Oh," She turned back to the posters. "Yeah, rotten tomatoes. How could I forget about that?"

I chuckled. She had no idea what rotten tomatoes was. I nudged her playfully with my elbow. "It's okay, next time you'll know to check the site."

She nodded her head. "So what about, 'attack of the alien hooker zombies'?"

"You totally made that title up."

She shook her head pointing to the poster on the far left. "I know I'm awesome and all but even I couldn't come up with such a lame ass title."

I looked at the poster. A half-naked woman covered in blood was devouring a human leg. "Oh yeah, that just screams watch me." I said sarcastically.

"Isabella, go and do something helpful, like buying popcorn. You're nothing but opinions. I thought you said that you didn't care what we watch."

I shrugged. "That was because I thought that you had taste."

She pushed me towards the snack stand. "I have excellent taste. I'll get the tickets, you go get the food."

"I'm going, I'm going." I protested laughing. For such a small person she was quite strong. "Pushy much."

"Shut up and go."

"How much popcorn do you want?"

"A lot."

"I don't think they have an 'a lot' size, Princess." She ignored me as she once again tried to decide what we were going to watch. I sauntered over to the snack stand. I pimple faced teenage boy was smiling at me when I finally reached him. "Hi, can I have your super-size popcorn and two cokes please. No, wait. Better make that one diet coke and one normal coke." I corrected remembering that Alice liked diet coke. As I waited for our order I watched Alice. She pointed from one poster to the next her lips moving slightly.

"Is your girlfriend playing eeny meeny miny mo?"

I smiled turning to the clerk. "I think so. And she is not my girlfriend." Dread spread through my body at that small fact.

He held up his hands. "Oh sorry. It's just that you look like all the other couples arguing about what to watch."

Longing washed through me and almost took my breath away. "Yeah I wish."

"Sorry?"

I blushed not realizing I mumbled that out loud. "Nothing, we just argue all the time. It's kind of our thing."

He nodded. "That is more than some couples have." Alice shouted triumphantly and I looked over to her. She made her way to the ticket booth. Moments later she joined me excitedly waving the tickets around. I paid the clerk and we headed to our theatre.

"So which movie are we watching?" I asked, as I followed her.

"The zombie hooker thing."

"Seriously? That is the movie that won?"

She shuffled down the back row. "Look when one says they don't mind what we watch, that usually means they don't mind what we watch. So shut the fuck up, eat some popcorn and watch the movie." She sat down near the middle of the row and I sat down beside her, not saying a word. Only one other person came into the cinema. A nerdy looking guy who sat down in front of us one row down. Alice started to eat some popcorn. The lights went out and the trailers started playing. "See, isn't that much better?"

"Oh am I allowed to speak now?"

"Permission to speak, soldier." Alice said in a fake gruff voice.

"If one plays a silly child's game to decide upon a movie and the end result of that said child's game is not the outcome one wanted, you simply play the game again."

She swallowed her mouth full of popcorn and glared at me. "I know how the game works, Isabella. If you haven't noticed, I'm far more clever than you."

"Cleverer." I corrected her automatically.

"What? Oh... you always have to win don't you."

I shrugged indifferently. "It just seems to work out that way."

"How convenient for you." I chuckled as the movie started playing. I was bored after the first three minutes. I never liked low budget horror films. So I shifted in my seat so that I could glance at Alice without looking to obvious. I might as well have just stared at her, she was so transfixed with the movie she didn't even notice me. She ate popcorn mechanically, her eyes never leaving the screen. Sometimes our hands met accidently when we reached for some popcorn. Other times it was on purpose, totally my own doing. Tingles exploded on my skin every time we touched and I wondered if that would ever where off. If Alice felt the tingles she didn't show it. In the dim lights I could barely make out the wrinkles at the corner of her eyes when she laughed at something in the movie.

"Typical, they just had to add a lesbian scene." Alice said suddenly making me jump. I looked at the screen where two zombie aliens (or was it alien zombies?) were going at it like horny rabbits.

"What bad slasher movie is complete without one?" I whispered.

"Well Mr. Creepo there is enjoying himself." I frowned looking at the nerd and regretted it immediately. His hand was halfway down his pants.

"No wonder I don't like men." I said under my breath. She nodded in agreement, refocusing on the movie. I kept watching her, how she gripped the arm rests in suspense scenes. How her shoulders relaxed slightly before she laughed. How she ate more popcorn than I've ever seen her eat actual food.

When the movie was finally over and the lights came on, her eyes sparkled. "That was awesome!" She exclaimed.

"That was the worst movie I've ever seen." I stood up and stretched.

"Yes okay, it was a shitty movie but the experience was awesome."

_The experience? Wait, don't tell me_... "Alice, was this your first time at the movies?"

She nodded her head still smiling. "Yes, none of my debutant friends ever wanted to go to the movies. They always said it was beneath them. My father was always busy with business meetings and none of the people I dated wanted to do something as common as going to the movies." She stood up and threw her arms around me hugging me tightly. "Thank you for coming with me. I know you didn't like the movie but still you didn't deny me the experience."

_That's because I'm in love with you_, I wanted to tell her. But how could I. She would reject me. So instead I hugged her back, taking in her scent and just enjoying the feeling of her against me. I didn't care that the hug lasted longer than necessary.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

**Where in the world is Alice Brandon? There is a major absence in the elite life in New York. Alice Brandon disappeared without as much as a whisper to where she is going. Rehab? An isolated resort to have a baby? Jail? Death? No one knows and those who do won't cough up. What is the big secret? What happened to our favourite scandalous up and comer? Me, myself and I want to know. Watch this space - Neil Snoop.**

Alice cursed loudly. I closed the cash register and looked at her as she pushed a glossy magazine away from her. "Is something the matter?" I asked concerned.

"That depends. Is it worse to be a drug addict or to get knocked up at seventeen?"

I pulled the magazine towards me and read the small article, while Alice kept on cursing under her breath. "Watch the language out there." Esme mommed her, from inside the kitchen.

"Well, not stating the obvious here," I said pointing to the name of the journalist. "But this guy sounds like a douche. Plus it would be a miracle if you got knocked up." She smiled relaxing slightly.

"Talking about miracles," Jane said indicating with her head towards the door. "Look who's here."

"With roses no less." Alice said.

I smiled. "It's about bloody time." Carlisle closed the door behind him and headed towards us. "Esme is lucky. I would kill to have someone bring me roses." I commented while flipping through the magazine.

He stopped at the counter giving us a nervous smile. "Is she here?"

"No, she went on a date with that new lawyer that moved here last week." I said seriously.

His shoulders sagged. "Oh I..."

"She's here," Esme said her head appearing in the kitchen portal. She gave us the stank eye. "They were just cashing up and leaving."

I pouted. "But I don't want to leave." _I've waited to long for this day to come._

Alice hopped of her chair, walked around the counter, grabbed my and Jane's hand and dragged us towards the door. "You heard the lady. She wants some grown up time. Go on Dr. Cullen. These two won't be bothering you." We were so taken by surprise that we didn't even think to try and put up a fight. He thanked her and walked through the kitchen door. As soon as he disappeared from sight Alice dropped our hands. We both glared at her. "Shut it and come on." She said dropping to her haunches and silently crept back to the counter. Considering that she was wearing six inch high heels her being able to sneak at all was quite an achievement. Jane and I looked at each other for like a second and did our own version of James Bond sneaking. Soon all three of us were huddled together behind the counter, listening to the conversation inside via the kitchen portal.

"You're brilliant." I whispered to Alice.

"You say that like it is a surprise."

"Keep quiet, I can't hear." Jane scolded us. We clamped our mouths shut and strained to hear what was being said.

"So you brought me flowers because one of you patients died?" _What are you doing Esme?_ I screamed at her in my head.

"No, flowers are for mothers and people in sick beds. Roses are for woman. And you Esme are one heck of a woman." _Way to go Carlisle_. "I've only mentioned the patient," He continued. "Because he never told the person that he fancied..." _(Fancied? Really? What era are you in?)_ "How he felt about her. She married some other loser and he died all alone at the ripe age of ninety-five." He took a breath, shuffling his feet in nervousness. "I don't want to die all alone, regretting the fact that I never told you how I felt about you. Esme, I'm in love with you. Please will you do me the great honour of accompanying me to dinner? Please give me a chance to get to know you, all of you."

Silence fell over all of us. _What the hell was she waiting for_? Finally she spoke. "Carlisle, I don't know what to say."

_Oh for heaven sake woman._ "She'll go with you." I almost screamed and stood up revealing myself to them. "Or accompany you or whatever."

Esme gaped at me like a fish stranded on land. "But... but... I have to lock up."

"We can handle that." Jane said, appearing beside me.

"But... my hair is a mess."

"I can handle that." Alice said, her big smiling head materializing at my other side.

"I want a million dollars." Carlisle said and we all looked at him in surprise. "What? Is there no leprechaun there that is going to pop out and say I'll take care of that?"

"You know those leprechauns are not trustworthy folk." Jane joked.

Carlisle laughed and turned back to Esme. "So what do you say? Would you let me buy you dinner... like I pointed out, we are not getting any younger."

"You maybe, I'm still in my prime." Esme said giving a playful twirl.

Carlisle gave her an appreciative look, saw me smirking at him and averted his gaze. "No arguments there. Now let that little pixie fix your already perfect hair. I've been waiting for far too long."

"I wonder whose fault that is." I mumbled under my breath.

**_ Later that night _**

A single red rose lay on my pillow. I picked it up and smelled it. Alice was the only other person in the house. With the rose in hand I walked to her room. Why would she give me a rose? I paused halfway down the hall. What was I going to say to her? Thank you for the rose. Do you want to make out? The light beneath her door blinked out. "You are such an idiot." I said softly, turning on my heel and heading back to my room.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

"So uh, who exactly does these belong to?" I asked. Alice looked over the seat to see what I was pointing at. Lying beneath an empty McDonald's bag was red lace lingerie. "You know, this was not what I had in mind when I agreed to help you clean your car."

"Uh, well those belonged to Candice... or maybe Jolene." She grabbed the panties and stuffed it into the bag we were using for garbage.

"You don't know who they belonged to?"

She blushed. "She was hot, she was single and she was blonde."

"Another blond bimbo, why is that not a surprise." Being more careful, I cleaned away the rest of the garbage that Alice stored away at the back of her Porsche.

"Careful now, you almost sound jealous."

I pulled my nose up at a week old banana peel. "Jealous, not even in your wildest dreams Princess."

She glanced at me over the seat, a coy smile around her lips. I looked away quickly not liking the emotions it caused inside me. "Then you should be jealous. Things get pretty out of hand when Olivia Wild enters most of my dreams_." Olivia Wild? At least she had taste_.

"Only most? Who stars in the rest?" I asked starting to clean the back windows.

"You."

My head whipped around at the speed of light. "What?"

She held a shoe in her hand. "I said shoe."

"Oh I thought... never mind." I turned back around, my cheeks flaming with embarrassment.

"You thought what?" She pressed the matter.

_That I wasn't the only one having dreams. Vividly, detailed sexy dreams._ "Nothing really. Just forget that I said anything."

"Are you okay, Isabella?"

I nodded my head not looking at her. "Peachy."

She shrugged. "It's just that you're..." I looked at her waiting for her to finish her sentence. She saw me waiting. "It's nothing, just forget it." I sighed going back to work.

We cleaned the rest of the car in silence. Her slight lemony perfume washed over me whenever she moved. Tingles attacked me every time our hands accidently touched when we reached for the cloth at the same time. Sometimes I was sure she did it on purpose but that was most likely wishful thinking.

We moved from the inside to the outside of the car. I threw a sponge at her. She caught it automatically, looked at it and dropped it with a shriek. "What the hell is that?"

"It's a sponge, Princess. You use it to wash the car." I said with a smirk.

"But why does it look like it was dragged through a horses rear-end?"

I shook my head to get rid of the vivid images she just created in my head. "It's what we use to wash the filthy dirty cars with."

She toed it, as if it was some dead animal. "Can I have a new one please?"

I frowned. "Did you just say please?"

She kicked the sponge toward me. "Shut up and give me a new one."

I picked up the sponge. "Princess, there are no new ones. So put on those atrocious pink latex gloves and help me wash the car."

She mumbled something but did what I asked. "Oh wait." She opened the car door again. "This needs some mood music." She blasted Adele on the car stereo. She closed the door and the music instantly became a bit muffled. "There much better." She looked at me. "What are you standing around for? Get to work." I rolled my eyes throwing the sponge at her again.

"I can't believe people do this for a living." Alice complained not five minutes later.

"Princess, you'll be surprised what people will do to survive." I commented washing away some bug slime on her windshield.

"You know who would be surprised if they saw me now? My friends back in New York?"

I snorted. "The friends that haven't even called you once since you've been here?" Her back stiffed slightly. Dammit, did I have to ruin everything. "They would be all like, "Here is some money, take it to a carwash then let us go drink some mimosas." Real friends however will at the very least offer to help you."

She laughed at my spoiled brat impersonation. "So does that make us friends?"

_Like we could ever be anything more?_ I looked over at her. She was looking at me as well, waiting for me to answer her question. "Yes." I said softly, the word leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. _What was I supposed to say? No, I want to be so much more than just your friend. Hell to the no. With her I'll take what I can get. _

She smiled at me but her eyes didn't sparkle. _Was she disappointed_? No, of course not. Why would she be? "Good, I like having you as a friend."

I picked up the garden hose. "Well as a friend I would like to point out that you missed a spot."

She looked at the bonnet. "No I didn't. See it is all clean."

I shook my head. "No, you missed a huge spot."

"Where?" She asked stepping right into my trap.

"Right," I aimed. "There." And fired. A jet of water hit her square in the chest.

She looked down on her dripping wet clothes. "Oh no you didn't?"

"Oh yes I did." I taunted her playfully. She picked up the bucket of soap water. "Alice put down the bucket."

She started to walk towards me. "Apologise."

I shook my head. "Never."

She kept on walking. I aimed the nozzle. "Apologize before the offer expires."

I giggled. "Put it down."

She shook her head. "You put it down." We watched each other to see who would give in first.

"Hey, you two hoodlums. Dinner is ready." Charlie shouted behind us.

I looked over my shoulder at Charlie and too late realised my mistake. She dumped the water on me and was halfway to the door before I could even make a sound. "Hey, that wasn't fair. In a fair fight, I would win." I dropped the nozzle and headed towards the house.

She turned around smiling. "That isn't much incentive for me to fight fair then is it?"

I fell into step beside her. "Come on, there are some towels down in the basement." We ran through the house. Our shoes making wet squishing noises which in turn made us giggle.

"You better clean that up." Charlie shouted after us as we ran into the basement.

"I'm freezing. Whose idea was that in anyway?" She asked as I handed her a towel.

"Some idiot." I joked. "Here let me help you." I grabbed another towel and started drying her hair. She froze momentarily but soon held her head this way and that so that I could dry it evenly. "There, do you feel better yet?" I asked, dropping the towel. I ran my hands through her spikes to get it back in order. Her hair was like silk and smelled like mint. How did it stay spiky all day long?

She sighed in content. "Much better. Thank you Isabella." I looked down at her and froze. I didn't realise how close we were standing to each but I could feel her breath on my cheeks. My eyes zoned in on her lips like a missile locking onto a target. "Isabella..." She whispered. Lust washed through me, hitting me like a tidal wave. "Are you okay?"

I blinked and as if coming out of a stupor and stepped away from her. _Damn her, damn my body and damn my stupid heart._ "I'm fine." I choked out and cleared my throat. "Just cold." I lied.

"Well I'm using the shower first." She exclaimed, giving me a look that said I dare you to challenge me.

I shrugged. "Wouldn't want you to freeze your pampered arse of now do we." She just laughed heading back into the house. "I can use a cold shower in anyway." I said to no one in particular.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

"Alice." I said softly shaking her shoulder. She didn't even open her eyes. "Oh Sleeping Beauty." I shook her shoulder a little harder. "Princess, Gucci has a 50% off sale."

She groaned. "Sales are for people without money." She pulled the covers over her head.

I ripped the covers off of her, slamming my hand over her mouth before she could scream. She thrashed around trying to break free. "Shut up. Charlie is still sleeping." I whispered urgently trying to calm her down. She stopped fighting me. "Don't make loud noises okay, nod your head if you understand." She nodded her head.

I let go of her. "What the fuck, Isabella." She whispered loudly.

"Put on some clothes, warm clothes. I'm kidnapping you."

She rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Come kidnap me later. I need at least nine hours of sleep."

I stood up from the bed and glanced at my watch. "You're the victim. You must do as I say for a change. So go put on some clothes, if you take too long your surprise will be gone."

She perked up at the word surprise. "What is it?"

"What it is," I said, smiling mysteriously. "Is a surprise. Now please get dressed."

She looked around. "Where is your weapon?"

"My what?"

She yawned. "The weapon that would force my co-operation."

I shrugged. "I don't have one."

She contemplated that for a minute. "Rope?" I shook my head. "Balaklava?"

"No Princess, and before you ask I don't have a getaway car either."

She got up. "Isabella, you are the world's shittiest kidnapper ever."

"Dully noted. Now get dressed. I'll be waiting outside. Remember, dress warmly." I walked to the door and paused, turning around. "No makeup. No one will see you were we are going and I don't want to wait forever for you to get done." She looked at me in utter shock. I left the room before she could start protesting. I waited outside her door for ten minutes before she finally joined me. "I thought I said no make-up?"

She waved her hand nonchalantly. "It's just some foundation and lipstick. A victim must always look her best."

I rolled my eyes. "Well come on gorgeous. Time is a wasting." I led the way down the corridor, down the stairs (watch out for the fourth one, it creaks) and out the front door, we only paused to pick up a back pack that I prepared last night.

Alice stopped outside the door squinting into the darkness. "What is that smell?"

"That would be the clean fresh smell of dawn."

She glared at me. "You woke me up before dawn on a Sunday, so that you can play kidnap the rich girl? What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Will you shut up? What is it with you spoiled brat types. Can't you do something spontaneous for once in your life?"

"Can't we do something spontaneous at a later time in the day? Like oh say, two o'clock."

I sighed and headed to the side of the house. "Go back to your satin bed sheets or put on some big girl panties and trust me."

She started following me. "I'm surprised you even noticed that they were satin."

"Shut up." I said with a smile.

Our process was halted once again when she stopped at the edge of the forest. "Are we going in there?"

"Yes."

"But the frozen ground will ruin my boots."

"It's winter. Aren't those autumn boots? That means they are so last season." I gave her a wink. "You can buy new ones next time you go internet shopping."

She shook her head. "As the victim, I demand that you carry me."

I snorted. "As the victim you have to keep your mouth shut and be kidnapped. You may whimper occasionally if you would like."

She didn't find my wit funny. "But... but there are animals, bugs and mythical creatures in there."

I nodded my head being very serious. "And if any of those things attack us I know that you would protect me." Her lips pulled into the smallest of smiles before she controlled her emotions. "Come on," I said. "We don't have to walk that far in. Don't worry Princess. You'll always be safe with me. Come hell or high water... or mythical creatures." She smiled as she followed me into the forest. We walked excruciating slow. Alice freaked out at every little sound. "What was that" and "did you hear that" seemed to be the only things she was able to say. I veered of the path, climbing over a log. I turned and helped her over, trying hard to ignore the tingles that was wreaking havoc on my arm.

"Why are we going of off the path?"

"Because, we want to be just beyond those lines of trees." I said, pointing to some trees a head of us.

"But there is no path. Paths are good. Paths are safe. Paths are where people can find you when you escape from you insane roommate."

I threw up my hands in the air. "Fine then. Stay on your path. I'm going over to those trees over there. When some mythical creature comes along, try fending it off with those ugly overpriced boots."

I headed to the trees. She fell in beside me before I gave my fourth step. "So much for you'll always be safe with me."

"You're still safe aren't you Princess?"

She looked around her nervously. "For now. If we get killed by some creature I'll never forgive you."

I shrugged holding a branch back for her. "Since I'll be dead and all, I don't think I'll care."

"If I don't forgive you, your soul will be in torment for all eternity. So you know what that means?"

_You're already tormenting my heart, why not my soul as well_? "That I'll still be dead?"

She shook her head. "No, you'll be stuck in this forest forever."

"And you will be where exactly."

She looked at me like I just asked the dumbest question on earth. "In fashion heaven, of course."

"Oh, of course." I replied sarcastically. "Though, if you don't forgive me you can't go to heaven. That means," I pulled a sad face. "That you'll be stuck in fashion hell wearing old, smelly, dirty beggar clothes. Guess that would make you more tormented than me."

I caught her as she stumbled. "Thanks. And I haven't thought about..." She trailed of as we broke through the tree line. "Wow."

I smiled watching her take in the surroundings. Sunlight gleamed of her hair giving her face a natural glow. And I thought she couldn't be even more beautiful. "Yeah, that sounds about right." I looked away from her and took in our surroundings. We were in a small clearing. A river flowed through the middle, cutting it in half. A fallen tree provided a perfect perch a little ways away from the river. "Here," I took her hand and pulled her over towards the log. "I thought we were going to be late, you slowed us down a lot."

I let go of her hand and took out a blanket. "Late for what?" She asked, still taking everything in.

"You'll see." I threw the blanket over the log and indicated for her to sit down. She obeyed, her eyes following the path of two dragonflies chasing each other over the river. "Do you want some coffee?" She glanced at the thermo flask I held in my hands. She nodded her head eagerly. I had just handed her, her cup when a small herd of deer walked into the clearing. "Right on time." I said and she gasped. They glanced up at the sudden sound, found us uninteresting and went back to grazing.

She sipped her coffee just watching the deer. "They are beautiful." She whispered. So are you. I thought.

"Would you like to take some pictures?" I reached into the bag and took out a small digital camera.

"Oh, yes please." She took the camera, removed the lens cap and moving as silently as possible began taking photos from different angles. I drank my coffee watching her. I could almost feel the joy radiating from her. She turned around suddenly taking one of me.

"Hey, nature is over there."

She smiled, walking back to me. The deer looked over at us, nervous at the sudden movement. Some running into the forest. "Oops." She said sitting down next to me. "Here, take a picture with me."

"I'm going to break the lens." I protested but did as she asked. We squeezed our heads together and she stretched her arm out trying to get the best angle.

"Okay, smile." The flash went of blinding me for a minute. She recovered first and looked at the picture. "Bad luck, the lens is still in one piece." I chuckled and she quickly snapped another picture of me.

I reached into the bag again. "Here is your surprise." I said taking out a rectangular envelope.

"You mean this isn't my surprise?"

"No, silly girl. That was just something I did because I wanted to." I said with a smile. I nudged her led with my knee. "Aren't you going to open it?"

She opened the envelope her eyes widening. "It's an airplane ticket." She said breathlessly.

"Charlie and I thought that you might want to go home, visit some fake friends and spend some time with Daddy."

She hit my shoulder. "Not funny."

I rubbed my shoulder. "It's only for the weekend though. I tried to convince Charlie to make the move permanent. No go. So you have to come back."

She flung her arms around me, hugging me tight. "Thank you so much."

"Anytime." I mumbled into her hair, hugging her back.

She pulled back slightly to look at my face. "No I mean it. Thank you for everything. For being my friend." _Friend. Right_. My stomach dropped all the way to my feet. _Friend._ The word burned into my brain.

I dropped my arms and took a shifted slightly away from her. "There are some Rusks in the bag if you are hungry."

She laughed. She was too giddy about her weekend away to notice my sudden change in mood. "That bag of yours has everything."

_If only it had a new heart for me. _

**Alice in wonderland:**

Here is the thing about this hell hole I thought I was held prisoner in. It crawls under your skin and before you know it you don't mind staying here. So when something happens and you get parole, you realise that you are going to miss this place and its inhabitants. One certain inhabitant to be specific. And it frightens me. I'm frightened for what she makes me feel. I always screw everything up. I don't want to screw things up with her. I'm so afraid that I would lose her friendship or our version of friendship anyway that it petrifies me to see if it could be anything more. Leave it to me to fall for someone like her. What am I to do? It could never work, we are worlds apart. No use in chasing something that will not work. These feelings will disappear. It has to!

**Flirty:**Yes, forget about her. I can give you whatever you want baby.

**Blondie:**So you are still alive. It's a miracle. Not that I cared on anything. As for the drama, you can always just enjoy the milk without actually buying the cow.

**Glasses:**I think that is just it. She wants to buy the cow. But that is a major commitment and like we all know, she doesn't commit.

**Muscles:**I say go for it. You can always beat the crap out of her if things don't work out.

**Bear:**I'm too old for this shit. Get it out in the open. Risk it. Love is all about risk.

**Dork:**Props for you, you're not emo anymore. Now don't listen to any of them. What do they know in anyway? Do what you want to do. Then make a video of it for YouTube. Because you know, if it's not on YouTube, it never happened.

**A/n Great Scot this is a long chapter. Hope you enjoyed it. Thank you to everyone that reviewed. As always it is much appreciated. **

**Until next time.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: If you don't know by now, I do not own anything. Yeah, the wonderful character that is Alice did not come from my imagination. Dammit. **

**Chapter 8**

**_ Sunday afternoon _**

"Touchdown baby! Whoop, whoop!" Charlie and Billy exclaimed excitedly banging their beer cans together, acting like a bunch of teenagers. They looked at me suddenly realising that I wasn't celebrating the fact that some guy caught a pigskin, dodged a couple of sweaty guys and ran over into the end zone.

"Yay, touchdown! Go team!" I said with fake enthusiasm. This seemed to satisfy them as they gave each other high-fives and started discussing just how perfect that touchdown was. _Men, I would never understand them._ I focused back on the TV, not really seeing anything of the game. The testosterone in the room was suffocating me. I ate a handful of popcorn. Maybe if I choked on one I could escape this torture. Fucking family time. Charlie needs to get himself a woman.

"Where is Alice?" Billy asked as the ref blew the whistle for halftime.

"Port Angeles. Some new range is being launched today." He cocked his head. "I don't get it either, don't worry."

He chuckled and took a swig of his beer. "I take it you two are getting along now?"

A smile crept onto my face without my permission. "She's actually a nice person, if you can ignore how spoiled she is." Billy saw my goofy smile and gave me a knowing look. "I mean," I started backtracking. "She is still a pain in my posterior. But yes, we are getting along now. Sort of. Well, mostly."

He winked at me, not buying what I was saying for one bit. "Well I'm glad that you are not trying to kill each other."

"Just don't ever eat her food." Charlie said.

I nodded my head in earnest. "Toxic doesn't even begin to describe that shit."

"Language young lady." I rolled my eyes at Charlie's attempt of parenting.

The front door opened. "I'm home people_." Huh, since when did she refer to this place as home? _"And I brought pizza."

"Ooh, pizza. I'm starving." Charlie said happily.

"I thought we weren't supposed to eat her food?" Billy whispered.

"Only her homemade concoctions. Take out is fine." I whispered back as Alice walked in, placing the pizza on the coffee table. Charlie and Billy instantly attacked the pizza. Alice sat down on the armrest of my chair. _Seriously, did you have to sit here? There is a seat open right there. _

She watched as the men devoured the pizza. "Their starving. Didn't you feed them?"

I gave her a, are you kidding look. "They are grown men. They tie their own shoes and everything. If they wanted something to eat, they could have made it themselves."

"Excuses, excuses. You're just lazy." Billy teased.

I held up my arms in surrender. "Oh, you caught me."

He nudged Charlie in his side. "You hear that Chief. She admits it, go arrest her."

"Sorry," He said with his mouth full. "I'm off duty."

Alice draped her arm over the back of the couch, accidently (or purposefully) brushing the back of my neck. An electric shock ran down my spine. I stood up abruptly. "I - uh, have some last minute homework to do. Please excuse me." I hurried from the room, almost falling over my own feet.

"Bella!" Charlie said and I froze turning around. "Aren't you hungry?"

I glanced over at Alice who was looking at me, a frown on her face. I wanted to go over and smooth away the worry lines. I shook my head, "No, not right now. I will eat later."

Charlie looked surprised but didn't press the matter. "Okay kiddo." I blew him a kiss and hightailed it to my room before anyone else tried to stop me.

**_ Around 11 PM that night _**

There was a soft knock on my door. I looked up only to find Alice in my doorway. She was wearing a pink robe (I'm not even surprised) and was playing with the knot nervously. "You look more nervous than a sinner in church." I said, surprised when she blushed.

"Sorry to bother you, are you very busy?" She asked her face cast down at the carpet.

"I can do with a study break, what's up?" She twisted the knot of her robe nervously. What is up with her? "Is it another spider?" I swivelled my chair towards her.

She shook her head, toeing the carpet. "Alice, do we have to play twenty questions or are you going to help me out here?" She straightened up, a determined look on her face. She turned around and closed the door. _Fuck, I was all alone in my room with Alice._ _With a closed door._ _And that robe clung to her in all the right places._

"I - uh - kind of..." She bit her lower lip. _Fucking hell woman._ I crossed my legs as want rushed straight to my core. "I did something in Port Angeles today."

I sat up a little intrigued. "So what are we talking about here? Drugs?"

Her head shot up, fire crackling in her eyes. "Fuck no."

Not a fan of drugs, noted. "You had sex with a hooker?"

She smiled a little, shaking her head. "I'm not that desperate. Besides, I've got a vibrater."

I shifted in my seat uncomfortably. _I just had to go there._ "Did you steal something?"

She sighed and started undoing her robe. "No I didn't steal anything. Jeez Isabella, I'm rich. I don't need to steal."

I gulped as the robe dropped to the floor, my eyes travelling over her body hungrily. She was wearing a white wife beater (no bra, fuck me) and red boy shorts. _Well you just stole my breath away._ "Uh... Al-Alice what are you doing?" I stuttered. She smiled softly, walking towards me. The sway of her hips hypnotised me completely. I pinched the inside of my arm. Ouch, dammit. Definitely not dreaming.

She stopped in front of me. I had to lean back slightly to look her in the face. "I'm going to show you what I did?" _Go for lap dance classes?_ "Isabella, I need your opinion on something?"

_Will sex complicate our lives? Hell no._ "Sure." I choked out. She lifted the hem of her wife beater, exposing her left hip. A small white bandage caught my attention. "Alice what happened?"

She removed the bandage slowly. "I got a tattoo." I stared at the small butterfly. "What do you think? Is it hideous?" I shook my head rolling the chair a little closer to her. I reached forward slowly, tracing the edge of the butterfly's wings with just my fingertips, careful not to hurt the bruised pink skin. She whimpered softly, a shudder running through her body.

I looked up, right into her blue eyes. "I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?"

She shook her head. "No." She whispered.

I looked back at the tattoo. "I like it. I think it's sexy."

"Isabella, are you flirting with me?"

"Princess, that is called a compliment."

"Like I said, you're flirting with me."

_Says the one standing in front of me, wearing next to nothing._ _Why must she make it so difficult to keep a distance from her? _I leaned away from her, my chair rolling a few paces back."Was there anything else?" I tapped my homework impatiently. "I still need to finish this." _And you need to leave before I tie you to my bed._

She dropped her shirt back into place. "No nothing. Sorry for wasting your time." She turned on her heel and stormed out of the room, only pausing to pick up her robe.

I sighed in frustration, running my hand through my hair. You just have to ruin the moment didn't you? Go and apologize. But I just sat there. I was such a fucking coward.

**_ Monday afternoon _**

I cleared the fallen leaves and mud away from the tombstone. "There we go." I said wiping my hand clean on my faded jeans. I could hear Alice's reaction to that gesture in my head. No, Isabella. One does not clean your dirty hands on your jeans. Even if those jeans are so last decade. She would even pull up her nose a little. I would reply sarcastically, Gee, I wonder what washing machines are for. I sighed, heavily fogging the air around me. "Mom, you would have loved Alice." I placed the special ordered white roses at the base of her tombstone. "I wish that you were still here, just so that you could tell me what to do."

I sat down next to the roses, leaning my head back against the cold granite. It was raining softly, my clothes were already soaked but I didn't care. It fitted my sombre mood. "Normally I just want to kill her but when she is not around... I miss her. A lot." I picked up a small rock. "Sometimes something will happen, like someone would wear something hideous to the grocery store and I'll take a picture and send it to her because I know it would make her day." I threw the rock in a random direction, already reaching for a new one.

"When we touch there are these tingles that wreak havoc on my body. Mom, did you ever feel anything like this?" I threw the rock up in the air and caught it again. "The thing is I would never be good enough for her. She doesn't belong in Forks. She would never be a small town girl." The rock went soaring through the air. I picked up another. "That will not stop her from trying. And she will try. Mom, I can't do to her what dad did to you. You were stuck here in Forks and you killed yourself because of it."

I dropped the stone and removed my wet hair out of my eyes. "I could go to New York with her. But could I live the elite life? Could I become friends with her friends? They sound like a bunch of snobs. Besides, she would never want to me at her side in public."

My shoulders began to shake as sobs raked my body. "Why did you have to kill yourself mom? You could have just taken me with you and left for the big city. I need you so much." My tears mixed with the rain, as I sat there in a pathetic heap. "I hate this feeling. I hate that you're not here and I hate being in love with the one girl I could never have."

I sat there crying, waiting for a sign or some fairy godmother to appear. A soaked street dog walked up to me. It stopped, sniffed around my feet before walking a little ways away and took a dump. "Dog shit, mom? That is some sign. Once again you are as helpful as a fart in a jam jar." I got up slowly, my stiff muscles protesting heavily. I wiped my face on my wet sleeve. Feeling a bit more composed I walked back to my truck, only glancing back twice.

My wet clothes slid easily over the leather seats. I slammed the door shut, trying to keep the cold out. With shaking hands I started the truck, turning on the heaters full blast. The feeling to my hands had just started to return, when my phone vibrated on the seat next to me. I answered it without looking at the caller id. "What?"

"Isabella, do you always answer your phone like that or only when I'm calling?" My heart skipped a few beats at the sound of her voice. _Treacherous useless organ._

I switched of the truck so that I could hear her better. "What is wrong Alice?"

There was a noise on her side, a fridge being opened maybe? "Can't I ever call you just because?"

"You never did before so why start now?" She mumbled something into the phone. It sounded suspiciously like can't win with you. "What was that?"

"Nothing." She grumbled. "How do you make a strawberry smoothie?"

"With your hands." The sarcastic comment slipped out before I could help it.

"No really? Are you sure or do you want to call a friend?"

I smiled. "Sorry, I'm not in the greatest mood."

"Yeah, your friendly and cheerful responses were a dead giveaway." There was silence over the phone for a while. "Do you want to talk about it?"

_Sure, I'm in love with you. That scares the crap out of me so I asked my dead mother for some guidance. Maybe I should have remembered a spirit board? What do you think?_ "No. Here is how to make my secret strawberry surprise smoothie."

She didn't press the matter and instead latched onto the change of subject. "Did it take you all day to come up with that name?"

_Yes._ "No." I pursed my lips and then remember that she couldn't see me. "Do you want to know how to make the fucking smoothie or not?"

"That is why I'm calling, Isabella."

I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel while I gave her the instructions. Finally there was only one step left. "Okay, put all of that in the blender and blend."

"I just press the power button right?"

"Yes but make sure you remember..." I was cut off when Alice screamed in my ear. "Put the lid on." I finished.

"My hair, my beautiful hair." She cried and I could picture her standing in the kitchen covered in fruit and other forms of goo. I started laughing. "This is fucking cashmere. I hate this. I hate this place and I hate Forks. Stop fucking laughing." But I couldn't. The more she cursed and yelled, the more I laughed. "Isabella, this is all your fault."

I sobered up a little. "How exactly is your inexperience in the kitchen my fault?"

"Because, you're not here to make the smoothie for me."

I snorted, laughing again. "Well excuse me, Princess. I'm not your servant. I don't need to cater to your every whim. This is Forks, not your penthouse in New York."

"Did I mention that I hate Forks?"

_Yeah, thanks for reminding me that we definitely don't have a future together._ "A couple of times. Just calm down. Why don't you go take a shower and I'll come and help you clean up the mess."

She gasped. "What makes you think that I'll let you take a shower with me?"

Instantly images of us together in the shower flushed before my eyes. Soap covered velvet skin. Exploring and caressing hands. I cleared my throat. "I was referring to the mess in the kitchen, Princess. But if that was an invitation..." I let the sentence hang suggestively.

"I... we ... no, that is a bad idea." _No, it's a good idea. Excellent even._ "Shit, I didn't mean to say that out loud." She rambled on. _It was kind of cute._ "I'm hanging up now. Don't come into my shower."

"I wasn't planning..."

"Or my bathroom." She interrupted me.

"I thought you were hanging up?"

"I am."

I waited. She waited. "You need to press the red button, Princess."

"Shut up." She said before hanging up.

"Mom, you would definitively have loved her." I said before starting my truck.

**_ Tuesday after school _**

"B12"

"Nothing but water."

"Is there even any ships on your board?"

I chuckled. "Yes, you just suck at this game. F8"

"So do you, you missed."

There was a soft knock on his door before it was opened. "Here you go. Freshly baked cookies and cold milk. Of course yours is chocolate flavoured, Bella." Emmett's mother said, placing a try of goodness on his desk.

"Ma, you have to stop treating us like five year olds." Emmett complained, even though he grabbed as much cookies in one hand as he could.

She looked around at the mess that was his room. "Then act like a teenager and clean your room."

He settled back onto his couch. "A teenager's room is supposed to look like this, ma." His mother picked up some dirty socks on the floor, throwing it in his hamper.

"Ignore him Misses C, I heart your cookies. They are super delicious."

She smiled warmly at me. "And you've loved them ever since you and Emmett became sandbox friends."

I nodded my head seriously. "That was my master plan. Befriend the kid whose mother makes the best homemade cookies."

She laughed softly. "Well I'm going to my bridge club. Try not to break anything this time."

"Bella was the one that broke that lamp."

I shook my head. "Oh no, you're the one that threw the basketball at me."

"Don't blame me because you don't know how to catch."

"Emmett, there will be no games inside the house. The next thing that breaks will come right out of your allowance." His mother gave him a stern look. He closed his mouth, not daring to give her some smart answer. She blew us a kiss and left closing the door behind her.

Emmett immediately texted away on his blackberry. He smiled, happily eating his cookie. "Rose will be over later. We just love bridge club."

Ugh, mental bleach. I did not need that picture in my head. "For different reasons than your mother I'm sure."

"Duh, Wooz turn izit?" He asked his mouth full of cookie."

Gross. "Yours, Filthy."

"C14"

"Nope, not even close."

He cursed. "How long are you going to hide in my room for?"

"I'm not hiding. I'm avoiding. There is a difference. A12"

"Dammit that's a hit." I smiled at his pouting lip. "Tomato, tamato. You can always just tell Alice that you are in love with her. E16"

I gasped and he looked at me excitedly. "Tell her how I feel? I can't tell her how I feel. No that would be stupid. You missed again, by the way."

He dropped the red pin and picked up a white one. "Why can't you tell her? She can either say that she likes you too or she can shoot you down."

I switched positions and accidently lay down on something. I picked up the magazine and smiled when I recognized the cover. "Does Rose know about your one handed hobby?" I asked throwing the Hustler at him.

"This belongs to Rose." He deadpanned giving the girl on the cover a longing look.

"Oh, uh... never mind then." I said getting more comfortable on the bed. "Changing the subject now." I said as he slid the magazine under the couch. "I can't tell her because if she turns me down I'll lose her friendship. Plus things will be all awkward at home. A13."

He sighed. "Hit and sunk. On the other hand, you must consider the fact that she likes you as well. You both live under the same roof and with a father that works night shifts...well you do the math. H17"

"That's a hit." He fist pumped the air. He was kind of adorable at times. "So basically you're saying I should risk everything just because it would be easy to sneak around and have sex."

He frowned. "Do you need more reason than that?"

Typical guy. "Gee Emmett. Now that you put it that way, I don't know why I didn't make a move sooner."

He smiled oblivious to my sarcasm. "I will collect my payment of course. I expect a front row ticket to the before mentioned evenings." He dodged the pillow that I threw at his head. "Hey, hey, hey." He protested. "I'll just sit and watch. I promise."

"You're a sick and twisted person. What is it with men and watching two women together?"

He shrugged. "Two pairs of boobs, hello. That means four boobs. I know, I counted." _Stupid fool._ "Why do you think I'm friends with you?"

"Oh please. Don't let us forget who played with my Barbies on our play dates."

"Hey," he objected. "I only played with Ken."

"Like that makes it any less gay." He threw the pillow back at me and I just swatted it away easily.

"Look, I just can't risk losing her. Not even her friendship. L19."

"You hit nothing, loser." I stuck my tongue out at him. "Bells, when it comes to love I'm as confused as a baby in a topless bar." I smiled at his silly comparison. "So here is the thing. Love is scary. But when it's a truly great love, you will have to decide if you want to take the risk. Because if you don't, someone else might come along and snatch her up right from under you."

I groaned resting my head in my hands. "I'm not good enough for her Emmett. She needs to be with someone from her social class."

He sighed as if he had all the answers to the universe and I was too stupid to see any of it. "Don't you think you should give her that option? Let her decide for herself who is good enough for her."

"I thought you said you weren't good with this love thing."

The door banged open making me jump. Rose stood in the doorway, cladded in a Moroccan belly dancing outfit. "Bella, go and hide at someone else's house. Emmett is going to be busy for the rest of the afternoon."

I stayed were I was. "I had him first."

"Bella, get lost." Emmett said bossily. His eyes fixed on Rose.

"Fine, be like that. Abandon a friend in need." They just ignored me. I got up and headed for the door. "I'll just go and kill myself."

"Cool, catch you later Bella." Pathetic, place a hot half naked girl in front of him and he can't pay attention to anything else.

"Hormonal teenagers." I mumbled under my breath closing the door behind me.

**_ Wednesday during school _**

"Mind if I join you?" I asked Eric, while I looked around the gym. Some freshmen were playing basketball but other than that, we were the only ones around. Eric scooted over on the bench making some space for me. "Why are we eating in the gym?" I asked taking a bite out of my apple.

"We could always try the bathrooms?" He suggested nonchalantly.

I tilted my head and then smiled. "Let's go. The girl's reaction to you in their bathroom will totally be worth it."

He chuckled. "God I missed your stupid jokes."

I chewed a piece of apple loudly, then swallowed. "No one is forcing you to eat lunch on your own."

He stared of into the distance. "Seeing her with him just hurts too much." My juicy apple suddenly tasted like rubber. It hurts just to avoid Alice, what would it feel like if she actually started to date someone? I threw what was left of my apple into the nearest trash can. "And Swan scores a three pointer. The crowed goes wild." Eric said mimicking the sounds of a cheering crowd.

I held my arms up in the air in a sign of victory. "Thank you, thank you. I'll be here all week."

He gave me a look. "But you don't have to be. Just tell her how you feel."

"Practice what you preach why don't you."

He gripped the edge of the bench shaking his head hard. "No. She loves Ben. Ben loves her. I'm not going to be the douche that messes that up for her."

I placed my hand over his, forcing him to let go of the bench. "What if you could be the source of her happiness?"

He shrugged of my hand. "She is happy right now. Really, really happy Bella. I can't be so selfish to mess with that. I won't."

I leaned my head on his shoulder. "You're a really good person Eric."

We sat in silence for a while, both of us wanting something we can't have. "Does it ever go away?" He asked suddenly. "This feeling deep in your core that causes so much pain?" I didn't know how to respond. The pain doesn't even seem to dull, in fact I think each day it was becoming worse. "Yeah, that is what I thought." He responded miserably when I didn't say anything. "Why do you put yourself through this? There is nothing stopping you from having your happily ever after."

I snorted. "Just pedigrees and different upbringings and class and over all just lots and lots of money."

He bumped my shoulder playfully. "Well, I have five dollars. How much pedigree's can you buy with that?"

I smiled. "Is this where we have a special bonding moment? You know where we make a stupid pack like if you tell her then I'll tell her or some stupid bullshit like that?"

He looked at me slightly amused. "No, this is definitely not that."

"Good," I said. "Because, I don't really do hugs and shit."

We sat in silence. The he nudged my leg with his. "Do you want to fist bump?" I immediately held up my fist. We both chuckled as we fist bumped like the dorks we were.

**_ Later, in history class _**

I was doodling mindlessly on a page when a chocolate flavoured milk box was placed on the corner of my desk. I looked up to find Alice smiling at me. "You missed lunch."

A pang of guilt shot through me. Why did she have to be so nice? "I wasn't really hungry." I kind of lied, losing your appetite and not being hungry is kind of the same thing.

"Are you sick?" She asked genuinely concerned. She reached forward to feel my temperature. I leaned away from her. Those damn tingles were only going to mess with my head. She dropped her hand, hurt flooding her eyes.

_Shit, now I've done it._ "I'm fine really, I just wasn't hungry."

She just nodded her head, her eyes downcast as she sat down at her desk. We sat in an uncomfortable silence. _She did something nice for you and look what you did._ The milk carton stood between us like a fucking beacon of misery. I grabbed it and stuffed it into my bag. "Are you mad at me?" My head snapped up and I stared into her piercing blue eyes.

I swallowed nervously, my mouth suddenly dry. "No. I'm not mad at you."

"Then why are you being such a jerk."

I stuffed my hands into my jean pockets, scared I might do something bad. Reaching out to comfort her would be really, really bad. "Princess, everything isn't always about you."

Instantly her back stiffened and she lifted her nose a few inches. A tell-tale sign that she felt insulted. "I know that Isabella. I don't know why I even bothered worrying about you."

Great, now I felt even worse. All the progress I made with her is slowly going down the drain. "Sorry. I am a jerk." She glanced at me from the corner of her eye. _That is kind of sexy. Stop it!_ "And thank you for the milk." I continued. "It was very thoughtful of you."

"Whatever." She replied indifferently. "It's what friends do for each other, isn't it?"

There it is again. Friends. I fucking hate the friends zone. "Sure, sure. Though I think Emmett would have drunk half of it before actually giving it to me."

She started to smile before remembering that she was supposed to be mad at me. "I don't really drink children drinks." I gave her an offended look. "Besides," She added. "I'm way too beautiful to be a child."

I gave her a once over, my eyes lingering a bit too long on her exposed cleavage. I licked my dry lips. "No, you're most definitely not a child." She leaned forward on her arms, unknowingly giving me an even better view. _Fuck! Stop staring Bella. Right now._

"So you agree, I'm beautiful." Okay, now she was clearing teasing.

I played along, forcing my eyes to focus on her face. "You're just fishing for a compliment little girl."

She winked at me. "A girl can try, can't she?"

I shook my head. "Princess, girls like you don't have to try. Girls like you only come along every few hundred years."

We shared a look. Her eyes were searching mine while I tried to convey all my feelings I had for her through mine. "Isabella, I ..."

"Right, it is pop quiz time." Our teacher announced as if we won the lottery. A groan went up through the entire class.

I tore my eyes away from her. I could feel her gaze on me but didn't dare to look at her, afraid of what I might find there.

**_ Thursday late at night: Alice in Wonderland _**

**I have not experienced anything remotely close to love. Lust yes. I felt attracted to someone on more than one occasion. Okay, maybe even obsessed about someone once. But never have I ever actually been in love. So I kind of found it funny that it sneaks up on you. Before you know it, it bites you in the arse and pulls out the rug from under you for good measure. It was Shakespeare who said love is blind. Boy was he right. Love, has a sick sense of humour. It almost kills its victims. And when that love is lost, that person is scarred, crippled for life. Even if you find love again, it's not the same. You've experienced it before. You know what I'm talking about. Just the sight of her! Heart pounding! Throat thickening! Can't breathe! All the usual symptoms. Leave it to me to fall in love with the one person that has absolutely nothing in common with me. And deep down you know that it couldn't possibly work. And you foolishly cling to any bit of hope. Because you're hoping you're wrong. And every time she does something that tells you she's no good, you ignore it. And every time she comes through and surprises you, you lose that argument with yourself, that she's not for you.**

**Blondie:** Looks like someone has it bad. I say go for it!

**Bear:** Yes, I agree. Go for it! You need something good in your life after your dad sent you away.

**Glasses:** Ooh, girl looks like you're going to get some.

**Flirty:** No! No, no, no. You're supposed to be with me. Forget about her. What does she have that I don't have?

**Muscles:** Imagine a very hard smack upside the head Flirty. Now make it ten times harder. Go stalk someone else. Girl, who cares if you have something in common? I say enjoy it while you can. You're leaving in the end of the year, that's like the ultimate excuse for leaving her and moving on.

**Dork:** Love, ugh gives me the creeps. All these feelings get it of off me.

**_ Friday afternoon _**

I walked down the deserted school hall, my nose deep in a 'James Patterson' novel. The lead role was busy dumping an assassin's body, when someone grabbed my arm and pulled me into a small cramped space. The door clicked shut, covering us in darkness. I dropped my schoolbag on the floor and I held the book high above my head, ready to bludgeon whoever attacked me over the head. "Listen moron, if you know what is good for you..."

The light blinked on and I squinted at whoever was being a dick. "You'll what? Kill me with that small book? Death by literacy. At least it would make headlines"

Slowly my eyes adjusted to the light. Alice stood in front of the door, her arms folded over her chest. "This is Forks, anything makes the headlines here." I deadpanned. She just glared at me. "What the fuck, Alice?" I asked, stuffing my book into my discarded schoolbag.

"That's my line." She said furiously. _Dear Lord, what did I do know?_ "I would like to know why you are avoiding me." She asked icily.

I froze, before slowly zipping my bag closed, trying to buy some time. "So you thought it would be a good idea to kidnap me and hold me captive in a dusty old closet?"

"That's about the gist of it."

I cocked an eyebrow at her. She just glared back at me. Sighing, I nervously ran a hand through my hair. "I'm not avoiding you. Believe it or not Princess, not everyone wants to spend every waking minute with you."

She moved so fast, I blinked and she was in front of me. "Stop lying, Isabella." She said poking me in the chest. I rubbed the spot she poked. _Damn but that shit hurt._ "If I did something or said something I apologize okay?" Her lip quivered. "Please, just stop avoiding me. You're my only friend. I can't lose you."

_Great, now you made her second guess herself_. I reached for her and pulled her against me. Hugging her tightly. "You didn't' do anything. I'm just an asshole." I said rubbing her back in slow circular movements, trying desperately to comfort her.

She slipped her arms around me, holding onto me for dear life. "Then why are you avoiding me."

_Jeez, she was worse than a bull terrier._ Her lemon sent was toying with my head and the fact that she was standing so securely against me was not make my mind any clearer. I dropped my arms and placed as much space between us as was possible in the small confined closet. "Don't. Please don't. Just let this go, Alice."

She shook her head, taking a step forward. _Please just stay on your fucking side._ "No Isabella. Tell me what it is about me that make you go running for the hills."

"Running for the hills? Princess, don't be stupid. You're not the problem? I just don't want to be around you..."

"You don't want to be around me?" She said softly. "How is that not supposed to be about me? You were supposed to be different." She turned around heading for the door. "Go fuck yourself."

Something in me snapped. I grabbed her arm and spun her around. My arm circled around her waist and pulled her up against me. My other hand gripped her chin and tilted her face upwards, with a fury my lips crashed into hers. She stood rigid against me. _What the fuck was I doing? _I sucked her bottom lip softly. _Stop kissing her!_ Suddenly her hands landed on my hips and with a small moan she started kissing me back with as much force as I was kissing her. My hand travelled to the back of her neck, playing with the soft hairs there.

Her tongue swiped over my lower lip and I granted her access, needing to taste her. Our tongues messaged each other and as I explored her soft hot mouth, wave after wave of tingles rushed right to my core. With a groan I pushed her up against the door, her front pressing deliciously against mine. She whimpered as I kissed down her jaw, making my way towards her neck. Her hands slipped under the hem of my shirt and I relished in the feeling of her hands on my bare skin. I sucked on the pulse point on her neck and she moaned, her neck arching to grant me better access. I've never wanted anyone as much as I wanted Alice in that moment. Her hands gripped my sides and my hips instinctively ground into her. I moaned as the friction wreaked havoc on my body. Gasping I broke away from her.

We both breathed heavily. I closed my eyes when I saw the lust in her gaze. An emotion I knew would reflect in my own. "Look at me Isabella." She requested softly.

"I can't." I whispered.

"Why?" I could hear the frustration in her voice. I opened them and looked at her. Her eyes were smouldering, she licked her bottom lip and a pang of want coursed through me. Fuck. Slowly I leaned forward, only stopping when my lips was inches away from hers.

"For the same reason why I can't be around you." I whispered against her mouth. "Because Princess, you make me feel something I've never felt before." I kissed her, this time the kiss was slow, almost sensual. I broke away desperately, trying to stay in control. "And Princess, those feeling scare the shit out of me. Because we both know that we can never be together." I pulled her slightly forward and reached around her opening the door.

"Isabella..."

I placed a finger on her lips silencing her. I traced her bottom lip with my finger, smiling softly. "I'm not sorry this happened. In fact, I'll treasure the memory for as long as I can remember it."

"Isabella, please listen..."

I walked backwards shaking my head. "This cannot happen again."

"Isabella please don't..."

I closed the door. Feeling like my heart was being ripped out of my chest. My head screamed at me to open the door. I turned away from the door and broke into a run only stopping once I reached my truck.

This is what needs to be done. This is the right choice. Then why does it feel like I've made the biggest mistake of my life?

**_ Friday night _**

I glanced at my watch. Only a minute has passed since I looked at it a moment ago. "Do you have somewhere better to be?" Esme asked. "You've glanced at your watch at least a hundred times by now."

I washed the last grime from a plate, before rinsing it and placing it on the rack. "Not really." I washed another plate and then lifted my arm to look at my watch again. Then I realised what I was doing and gave Esme a sheepish grin. "Charlie is taking Alice to the airport and we sort of had this..." _Make out session? Fight? First kiss? All of the above?_ "Thing. I don't know if the distance is a good thing or if it would be better to talk about it before she leaves."

She smiled and made her way to me, engulfing me in a hug. "You're in love with her." She phrased it like a statement, not a question.

"Is it stamped on my forehead? This loser fell in love with Alice Brandon?" I asked, feeling a bit calmer. She smelled like vanilla and I briefly wondered if this was what mothers would do to comfort their daughters?

"Falling in love with someone does not make you a loser."

I snorted stepping away from her. "No, falling for the one person in the world that I cannot be with makes me a big fucking moron."

She snapped a washcloth at me, hitting my thigh. "Language." She scolded me. I rubbed my thigh, jutting my lip out. "Be careful. You might trip on that lip if you make that pout any faker." I laughed at her little joke and then stopped abruptly when I remembered that I wasn't supposed to be happy. Esme noticed the shift in my demeanour and gave me a knowing look. "What time does she leave?"

I glanced at my watch. "In ten minutes."

She smiled. "And to think, not long ago you would have answered not soon enough."

I sighed. "Yeah, tell me about it. She kind of grew on me."

"So why are you still standing here?"

I looked up at her hopefully just as Carlisle walked into the kitchen. "Hello ladies, what's going on?"

"Bella was just leaving and you are going to cover her shift for her." Esme said winking at me.

He did a double take. "Sorry, what?"

I shoved my latex gloves at him. "Thank you Doc!" I was through the kitchen door before he could protest. Heads turned towards me as I rushed through the coffee house.

"Bella, what is going..."

"Not now Jane. I got to go." I hastily interrupted her. I slipped out of the door, narrowly missing a couple making their way inside. "Sorry!" I shouted as I slipped and slide my way towards my truck. It just had to snow, didn't it? I cursed as I dropped the keys, trying to unlock the door at top speed. I scooped them up and opened the door on my fourth attempt. I slammed the door shut, already turning the key in the ignition. The truck roared to life. I punched the petrol, only to slam on the breaks. A car drove passed me, the driver giving me the finger while abusing his car horn. "Fuck. Drive much?" I talked to myself checking to see if the road was clear. I pulled away, the engine protesting heavily at the speed I tried to coax from it. "Come on. Relive your glory days or something. Just get me to Alice on time." I urged on the old engine, as I ran a red light.

Gravel sprayed in all directions when I finally stopped in the driveway. Emmett walked out of my house, giving me a friendly wave. "You're about half an hour late."

My heart dropped to my stomach. "What?"

"Your father wanted an early start. He was afraid they might hit traffic or something." _Traffic? In Forks? Seriously? The cockblocker!_ I kicked at the gravel in frustration. "Alice tried to stall him." Emmett continued, "But she ran out of things that she could forget inside."

My head snapped up. "Alice tried to stall?" _That was good news right? _

He nodded his head giving me a goofy smile. "Yup, sure did. She also kept staring down the road like a lost puppy." My heart travelled back to the region of my chest. He poked me suddenly. "You two had sex didn't you?"

"What? No!" _I wish. _

"So I can keep this letter then?" He pulled a pink piece of paper out of his back pocket.

"You waited all this time before telling me she left me a letter?" I accused trying to grab the piece of paper from him.

He held the letter high above his head. "You thought I was hanging out at your house all alone for no apparent reason?"

I grabbed his arm, trying to pull it down with all my weight. It barely moved. "I just figured," I said out of breath. "That you would like to cross-dress, in a non-judgemental environment."

He chuckled, moving the paper to his other hand. "Well done Sherlock. You caught me. My first stop was your underwear drawer."

I stopped jumping around like a jack-in-a-box, my hands in my sides as I tried to catch my breath. "Fine, Nosy. We kissed, okay? Now can I have the letter please?"

He smiled triumphantly. "Must have been one heck of a kiss." He commented holding the piece of paper towards me.

I grabbed it. "Sure was. Now go explore my underwear drawer or something. I would like to read the letter in private."

He tilted his head as if thinking about it. "Tempting but I'll rather go have some sex with my girlfriend." He gave me a bear hug. "Besides, I already read it." I smacked his side, hurting my hand in the process. He just laughed, whistling all the way to his Jeep. "Catch you later."

When he left I opened the letter and stared at the single line.

**Do not give up on us so easily.**

**A/n Note to self, writing a scene where the character rushes to get somewhere is more difficult than one would think. End of note. More time went into making sure the flow and feel of this chapter was just right, than actually writing it. **

**To all the readers that patiently wait for the updates, thank you for sticking with this story. Thank you to everyone that reviewed. I didn't have time to thank you personally but it is much appreciated. Anonymous reviewers, thank you for your feedback as well, it's just as much appreciated.**

**Till next time. **


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I don't own. Blah, blah, Stephanie Meyers, blah.**

…

**6.00 am Saturday morning.**

"Okay." I breathed out, gasping for air. "I can't go any further."

"We're at the end of the street Bella."

"I'm surprised," I huffed. "That I made it to the end of my driveway."

He chuckled not even breaking a sweat. "You're such a lightweight." I grumbled something incoherent. He punched my shoulder playfully, almost knocking me over. "You're the one that wanted to go jogging." He waved at Miss Carter who was pruning some bushes in her garden. I tried to get my breathing under control, I'm sure that you are not supposed to sound like a freight train. "Did you hear anything from Alice?"

I kept my eyes fixed ahead, not wanting him to see the longing in them. "She sent Charlie a text message to say that she landed safely." Mr Wallace picked up his morning paper and gave us a small salute with it.

"I wonder what she is doing right now." Emmett mused aloud.

I snorted. "It's six am in the morning. She only gets up at eleven... if you are lucky… and you are never lucky."

"Yeah but," He turned around mid-stride and jogged backwards. Show-off. "Isn't New York the city that never sleeps?"

I huffed and puffed next to him. "The city might never sleep, but somewhere in an overpriced hotel, in a soundproofed room Alice would be enjoying her beauty sleep." Not that she needs it.

"So when are you going to take a bite of the big apple?" He asked turning back and easily adjusted to my snail's pace.

"Don't want to take that chance," I said, as we jogged passed a freshman walking a fat bulldog. "I might eat the worm."

His head swivelled towards me, giving me a calculating look. "So instead you're opting to torture your body?"

I was completely drenched in sweat by now and Emmett looked like he was enjoying a leisurely stroll. "You know what. I don't know why people do this to themselves. This isn't fun."

"It's good for you."

Mrs Potter gave Emmett a big smile, completely ignoring me. "Good morning Emmett, you're looking good today." She practically purred at us. Her eyes followed him hungrily as we jogged pass her. I glanced back and saw her lean over her fence to check him out. She quickly retracted when she saw me looking.

"Dude, does Rose know that you've a Cougar after you."

"I do not."

I snorted, "She was eye fucking you. Eye fucking that needs age restrictions." He smiled, and glanced back. "Gross, Emmett. She is like forty-five."

His smile got even bigger. "Doesn't woman's sexuality peak in their forties?"

"I thought you are fond of your favourite appendage." We finally reached my street. Thank God.

"Why?"

"You know what Rose would do to it if she found out..."

He shuddered, "Point taken." I collapsed on the front porch, my legs refused to move me another inch. Emmett gracefully sat down next to me and gave my shoulder a bump with mine. "I knew you could do it."

I groaned. "Go me." I exclaimed weakly.

"And just think," He said getting up to stretch his legs. "You can take a nice long hot shower."

I pulled my best confused face, "I do not understand. What is this hot shower you are talking about?" I joked as Charlie walked out of the house.

He fastened his gun belt, eyeing me and Emmett. His right eyebrow crept upwards. "Who are you and what have you done with my daughter?"

I rolled my eyes. "I just thought I would get my yearly exercise out of the way."

Emmett twirled his finger at his temple. "I'm going to work, before her craziness infects me." He playfully pulled at my ponytail as he walked passed me, down the steps and to his cruiser.

"Stay safe, Chief Swan." I reminded him.

He opened the door of his cruiser, then paused and turned around. "Oh, I almost forgot. Alice called earlier while you were out. She said that you should give her a call if you've got time."

"Alice called? How did she sound? Is something wrong?" I asked excitedly jumping to my feet. Charlie eyed me suspiciously. "You know how she gets." I quickly tried to cover up my suspect behaviour. "She probably forgot her hair dryer or the other half of her hundred pairs of shoes."

Charlie wavered, not entirely convinced. "Alice will be worse that Godzilla if she doesn't have the perfect pair of shoes for one of her outfits." Emmett said, throwing his arm over my shoulders nonchalantly.

Charlie smiled and then chuckled. "Stay out of trouble you two."

We stood in silence as he pulled out of the driveway. Emmett gave him a small wave. "For a cop your father is very easily fooled."

"I'm not complaining." I said as I ran inside and skidded to a halt in front of the telephone. It surprised me a little that I could already dial her number from memory.

"Desperate aren't we?" Emmett's comment earned him a pen against the head.

"Hello."

"Alice," I exclaimed happily. "How are you?"

There was a breath silence on the other side. "This is not Alice. Who is this?"

"Uh," I felt my heart drop. Of course she would be busy. "It's Bella."

"Oh," Came from the other side. "The servant girl." The servant what?

"Who are you talking to?" Alice's voice chimed in the background.

"Just some hick from that crazy town you're out casted to. I'll get rid of her while you get rid of those clothes. Order us some champagne, I'll be right there honey."

I slammed the receiver down, suddenly pissed. "So how did that go then?" Emmett asked where he leaned against the wall. I hurled the notepad at him. He barely had time to duck. "Right, I'll go make some breakfast." I took steady breathes as he walked away. "You're not getting any by the way...nuh uh. No breakfast for crazy assed bitches."

"No crazy assed bitches here. Just silly little servant girls." I yelled back and he paused.

"I could scrounge up some breakfast for someone like that."

I followed him to the kitchen. "Pancakes?" I asked hopefully.

He placed a pan on the stove and then pulled me against him in a tight hug. "Want me to go smack someone upside the head?"

I smiled into his chest. "Not today."

He rested his chin on my head. "Love you Bells."

I smiled, "Love you too, Em."

He planted a kiss on my head and with a last comforting squeeze he let go of me.

"Right, now let's get this breakfast started. I'm starving."

"Thank you Emmett."

He shrugged, "Whatever, I'm awesome like that." He tied an apron around his waist and threw another at me. "You mix, I'll bake." I just looked from him to the apron and back to him. "You didn't think I was going to make this breakfast on my own, did you?"

"The thought has crossed my mind."

He frowned, contemplating. "I didn't know you had a mind."

"Oh I do... several actually."

"Well get one of them to beat the eggs."

…

**Saturday afternoon**

I read her one line for the hundredth time.

**Don't give up on us so easily. **

The tattered paper has seen better days. I have folded and unfolded the piece of paper more times than I can count. I shifted on the couch, groaning as my stiff muscles protested heavily. I picked up my phone and speed dialled her. It went straight to voicemail. I disconnected the line. Having left about ten voicemails already I didn't want to come across as a stalker. Though seeming to settle for desperate didn't bother me as much.

"What is the use of a phone if you don't answer it?" I mumbled to myself discarding the phone on the coffee table, ignoring to protest of my soar body. I picked up my copy of 'The Help'. Maybe Skeeter could carry me away to a place where love was the least of a woman's problems. I had just settled into the Mississippi drawl when the front door banged open.

"Are there any witches home?" Angela shouted all the way from the front door.

"Nope," I shouted back, closing the book with a soft thud. "Go away, only an ugly old hag lives here."

Heavy footsteps sounded down the hallway, Angela's smiling face appeared in the doorway. "You are not an old hag."

I raised my eyebrow. "Then… I'm only ugly?" I asked sarcastically.

She ignored me, holding up a bag. "Look at all the bounty I brought." She made her way towards me, unzipping the bag. "Nothing soothes heartache like sugar." She turned the bag upside down. Candy, biscuits, chocolates and a tub of ice cream crash landed on the coffee table. She nudged my legs, "Move over ugly."

"I was here first." I protested weakly.

"And I'm here now." She tapped her foot, her hand on her hip as I slowly removed my legs from the couch. I groaned as my muscles complained of the movement. I messaged my thighs as Angela sat down. She leaned forward and started digging into the food. "Here is our entertainment." She pushed a strip of Rees's peanut buttercups aside and revealed DVD's. "Dirty dancing or Pretty woman?"

I groaned. "Neither, I sense a theme here."

Angela gave me her innocent look. "Whatever do you mean?"

I snorted. "Both feature couples where one is stinking rich and the other barely gets by."

Angela frowned suddenly deep in thought. "How about that?"

"Yeah, how about that."

She shrugged, "They do live happily ever after though."

I rolled my eyes. "Until the end credits start rolling."

"Stop being so negative, Alice will come back. You two will talk and there will not be any end credits to stop your happily ever after."

I opened a pack of Oreo biscuits. "She is not coming back."

She glanced at me "Her note begs to differ."

Instinctively I reach for the note in my jeans pocket, then I realised what I was doing, stubbornly I folded my arms over my chest. Angela gave me a knowing smile, which I ignored. "Her note is her last way of messing with my head. She's probably laughing about it with one of her fake friends right now."

She rolled her eyes. "Overthinking things much? Where is the romance? Absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that shit."

I squinted at her, "Did you and Ben have sex this morning?"

"No, but we will tonight. You're my cover by the way."

I shook my head. "And here I thought you came over to support me in my darkest hour. "

"Ha." She exclaimed. "Everything is not always about you, babe."

"Who said I didn't have plans?"

Her head swivelled in my direction and her gaze mockingly found mine. "Sitting around in a pathetic heap, waiting for Alice to call you is not plans." I held up my book in defence. "Reading a book because you're bored is a slightly better excuse but just as lame. Now, since you're not in the mood for a happy ending how about," She held up Loving Annabelle.

"No thanks, no soppy heart breaking movies."

She leaned towards me conspiratorially, "But it is all about the journey Bella." I glared at her. "Err, maybe not. Very well then that leaves us with…. Drum roll please," She paused and stared at me, waiting. I just stared back. "You suck." Some more staring finally got her to crack. "Why am I even here? Real steel it is."

I nodded in approval. "I heard it is good."

"I wouldn't know." She said and evil glint in her eyes. "I just took it because it is the twin's favourite movie at the moment. They will go ape-shit crazy trying to find it."

"Aren't you supposed to be looking out for them?"

She stood up and headed to the DVD player. "I am looking out for them. Teaching them to share is character building."

"You're the devil's spawn."

She grabbed the remotes on her way back. "You are only realising this now?" She pressed play and we settled on the couch to watch the movie.

Two hours later and we were basically jumping in our seats from a sugar overload. Angela looked around the living room. "Do you remember our pillow fights back in the day?"

I smiled. "You make us sound so old, that was like three years ago."

She shrugged and whipped a decorative pillow around, catching me completely off guard. She was up and standing on the other side of the living room before I could even blink. "Old or not, I can still take you?"

Ignoring my stiff muscles, I got up armed with a pillow in each hand. "Challenge accepted." I chased her all over the house, mini battles breaking out whenever I caught up to her.

We were a giggling mess as we lay on the living room floor, a mutual truce having been called. "I remember that used to be a lot easier." I breathed out heavily.

Angela groaned, messaging her side. "I'm too old for this shit. It feels like I ran a marathon."

That only reminded me of my sore muscles. "I've told you a thousand times, yoga isn't exercise." I commented eyeing some of the leftover candy.

"Sex is a form of exercise."

I gave her a look. "If that was true, Mike should have been a male model by now."

She scrounged up her nose. "Masturbation doesn't count as sex."

I shuddered. "You my friend, have a dirty mind."

Her phone rang and as she glanced at the screen her whole face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Hello Babe." I rolled my eyes and retrieved my own phone trying to look like I wasn't eavesdropping… though I totally was. "Yes, I love strawberries and cream." I fake gagged and Angela pushed me playfully. I unlocked my phone and was surprised with a missed call. I must not have heard my phone while I was chasing Angela all over the house.

I dialled my voicemail. "Isabella," Alice scolded irritably. "What are you possibly doing that you can't answer your phone?" I smiled. Her high and mighty act couldn't even dampen my spirits. "Alice come on, we are going to be late." A voice called in the background impatiently. "I'm never late Alex, everybody else is just early." My stomach fell all the way to my feet. She was enjoying herself while I was just sitting here, doing nothing. I'm fucking pathetic.

I was about to end to call when I heard her whisper, "Sorry Isabella. I just missed you and wanted to hear your voice." My heart settled back into its proper place. She missed me. She really did miss me. "Call me please." I disconnected the line and dialled her number. It just rang. Typical, we've been calling around each other all weekend.

"Bells, Ben is waiting so if the parental units call I'm sleeping here."

I think I responded. Maybe I grunted. Maybe I didn't. I dialled my voicemail again and listened to Alice's voice, over and over again. Pathetic much.

…

**4:00 Am Sunday morning**

"R u awake?" I stared at the text with blurry eyes.

As I stifled a yawn I finally processed who the text was from. "Your grammar sucks, Princess."

I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and puffed the cushions behind my back, trying to get more comfortable. "Ooh, someone is not a morning person. Sorry for waking you, I just got home and... I wanted to talk to you before going to bed."

A smile played on my lips without permission. The effect her words alone had on me. "Come home from..." I started typing then just dialled her number instead. Texting was not talking. Her phone barely rang before she answered it with a jubilant hello. "You're in a good mood." I said watching the tree outside my window sway from side to side in the wind.

"God your voice..."

I cleared my throat. "Sorry, it's always a bit husky in the morning."

"Fuck…uh… crap …What I meant to say that is… it's kind of hot."

I could picture her, lying back on her bed. Wearing short shorts and that God awful oversized t-shirt. Her biting her lower lip as a blush crept up her neck… she swallowing nervously. Fuck, concentrate Bella! "You do, do you?" I teased. "If I didn't know any better Princess, I would say you were flirting with me." The silence got heavier. I decided to rescue her, "So where were you that you only got home now?"

"I was at a hotel opening." She chirped happily over the phone. "You should have seen all the dresses, the flashing cameras, the red carpet and I rubbed shoulders with Britney Spears."

Her happiness almost radiated through the phone. I could hear the smile on her lips, see the sparkle in her eyes and it made my stomach drop. In all the time she's been here she has never spoken like that. How could I rob her from everything that makes her so happy?

"I don't know Princess. Sounds like something out of my league."

There was a sigh, Isabella, when will you see..."

I interrupted her, "Sounds like you had some fun."

"I did... I just wish you could have been there with me."

My chest warmed and I remembered briefly how our bodies were pressed together when we kissed. "So tell me about it instead."

I slid out of bed, stifling a yawn as she gave me a rundown of her evening. Her tone varied somewhat depending on what she was describing. I sat down at my desk and opened my laptop. Blinking my eyes rapidly as the bright light assaulted my eyes. I uhmed and ahed at all the right places, all the while opening my web browser. I typed her name and yesterday's date into Google, as she told me about how Britney Spears told her, her dress was cute.

"Sounds like you are in love." I teased.

"She is not my type." Came a quick reply. A little too quick.

"Princess we all know your type is spoiled and filthy rich."

"Is that really what you think Isabella?" I sat dumbstruck as I looked at the photos that popped up of her at the hotel opening. "Is that why you ran away from me?"

I shook my head as her words bought me back to reality. "I uh... honestly Princess I ran away because I was afraid." I clicked on the most promising article available about her at the opening.

"What are you afraid off?"

I ran my hand through my head in frustration. "Of everything," I exclaimed. "I know that is not the answer you are looking for but I would rather discuss this with you in person."

She scoffed. "You can't run away forever, Isabella."

I enlarged a picture of her and momentarily forgot how to breathe. She was wearing a black knee height dress. A plunging neckline stole away your attention from her warm smiling face. She didn't seem fake like all the other people who are there just because they needed to show face. This was most likely brought on from her exile to Forks.

"Wow!" I breathed unthinkingly.

"That was not really the response I was hoping for." Once again I had to force myself to concentrate.

"Sorry I was just looking at a picture of you at the opening... and wow... I mean you looked stunning."

The other end of the line was silent for at least a ten heart beats. Then she giggled. My stomach unknotted and I could breathe again. "I never thought that I would see the day that I would be Googled by Isabella Swan."

"Princess, you should feel honoured. I don't just Google anyone, you know."

"It's kind of sweet."

I looked at the rest of the picture for the first time, and my good mood dissipated like mist in the sun. One of the best specimens of females to walk this earth was stuck to her arm. "Whatever, don't get a big head or anything." I couldn't look away from Alice's arm candy.

Her legs didn't seem to end. She had a natural tan, big green eyes, thick black locks that were perfectly styled around her perfect face, a perfect Colgate smile that was rounded of by perfect dimples. In what world could I ever compete with that?

"What big head, you always keep me grounded. How did I ever survive without you?"

"Your guardian angel must have worked overtime." I replied sarcastically. "Who is your date?"

"Who? Alex?" Alex, the new synonym for perfection.

"The one hanging all over you like some cheap prostitute."

"Are you jealous?"

Of course I am. "Fuck…" I mumbled quickly scanning through the article. My eyes landed on a few key words. Golden couple. Ex-girlfriend. Back together. "It says here that she is your ex-girlfriend."

"You are jealous." She almost said that with delight.

"And you are not denying it, Princess."

"Neither are you."

"I'm not confirming nor denying anything. But how would you feel if a FHM model was my ex-girlfriend."

"Isabella," There was silence on the other end of the line. I was clutching my phone so hard my fingers were starting to cramp. Finally her voice croaked over the line,

"Isabella, I would be jealous if Frankenstein was your ex."

I relaxed and breathed freely again. "Really?" I whispered.

"No, no, no. You don't get anything more from me until we talk face to face."

"Alice... I... just know that I ..."

"Alice, are you going to come wash my back or what?" A female voice sounded in the background.

"Fuck." Alice moaned into the phone before there was a loud slamming noise. Maybe a door?

"My sentiments exactly." I kicked my chair and it raced across the room slamming into the furthest wall.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, I've got to go. You obviously have better things to do."

"Isabella it's not what..."

I switched of the phone and threw it on the bed. I jumped as Charlie stormed into the room, gun aiming at my head. "Dad it's just me."

He whooshed passed me and looked in my cupboard and then proceeded to look under my bed. "Where is she?"

"She? She who?"

He eyed the blankets of my bed. "The girl you sneaked in here."

"I kicked my chair on my way to the bathroom. You know shins are programmed to find objects in the dark."

He looked at me, flicking the safety on his gun. "So there is no girl?"

I shrugged and indicated to my room. "No Chief Swan." She is in New York.

He grunted. "Good, no go back to sleep. It's very bad for your health to be up at these unholy hours of the morning."

I gave him a silent salute and he left. I shook my head. With a father like that, how was I even normal?

…

**Sunday morning**

"You should have seen this broad. She had perfect hair, perfect skin and perfect teeth to compliment a perfect smile, perfect clothes and endless long perfect legs. She was just…"

"Perfect?" Angela suggested sarcastically.

"Yes." I said, my shoulders hanging in defeat. I inspected some strawberries before placing it in the shopping cart with all our other goods.

"I don't know Bella." Ben said thoughtfully dropping a box of cereal in the cart. "My grandmother used to say that if something looks too good to be true then it usually is."

I looked at him sceptically. "Would this be the same grandmother who thinks cockroaches are alien spies and that is ultimately why not even radiation can kill them?"

He shrugged, "Just because she is a little weird doesn't mean everything she says is worthless.

"Fine," I said. "So what could be wrong with Miss Perfect?"

"Well," Ben said thinking.

"She might have dandruff." Angela suggested as we walked down a new isle.

Ben nodded his head in agreement, ignoring the are-you-serious look from me. "Or she might have bad breath."

"Then there is always STD'S or the dreaded athlete's foot." Angela said comparing prices on pasta.

"Well then we might go all the way and say she is a kicker in her sleep." I offered.

Angela shrugged. "Then comes the mental stuff, she might have a split personality."

"Or even worse" I said "She might have no personality."

"She might be a screamer in bed?" Ben offered. Angela and I gave him a look. "What? My brother's girlfriend is a screamer. I have to listen to music at full blast just to drown her out."

I gave him a sympathetic look. Angela bumped her hip against mine. "Maybe I'm dating the wrong brother."

"Or next time you come over you can scream extra loud and we see how he likes it." Ben retorted, pulling her close giving her a long, lingering kiss.

"Ugh," I fake gagged. "Get a room."

"This is our room." Ben teased. She swept her arm down the aisle. "So what if we like it filled with pasta and random strangers? If you don't like it, you leave." I smiled. He sure does have a weird sense of humour. It was sort of uplifting.

Angela pushed him away. "I love you and all babe, but can we move this to a room filled with cheese?"

"Okay so what were we talking about?" I asked as we headed to the next isle.

"About Alice's ex-girlfriend's bad hygiene."

"Her alleged bad hygiene." Ben corrected.

"Why did they break-up again?" I pondered out loud.

"She broke up with Alice." Ben answered a bit too quickly. "Something about wanting to see other people." He added vaguely once he saw the looks Angela and I gave him. "So I read tabloids, get over it."

"She obviously changed her mind." I said as I smelled some blue cheese. Ick, how do people eat that stuff?

"Or Alice is just having some no-strings-attached kind of fun." Ben said as he passed some Gouda cheese to Angela.

"But why is she having fun with someone else, if she told me not to give up on us?"

Angela sighed. "Bells, have you ever considered that maybe you're making the wrong conclusion about her and her ex?"

Yeah, I don't think so. "Maybe." I said, keeping my thoughts on that subject to myself. "We still need to get some chicken."

"Worrying about something that might just be all in your head is a waste of time. Just wait until she comes back and talk to her." I could tell Angela was getting fed up with my mood.

But I couldn't help myself. Friends were supposed to listen to you when you needed to vent. "Who is to say she even comes back? She might tell her father some cock and bull story and before you know it some man servant shows up on my doorstep. He'll pack all of her stuff, including her hundred pair of shoes and she'll just be gone from my life. Erased, like she never existed.

Angela stopped dead in her tracks and stared at me. "You drank red-bull didn't you?"

"No." I answered a little too fast.

"Dude, I thought we agreed. No solo caffeine rushes. It's more fun with two people." She said, offended.

I shook my head in disagreement, poking a frozen bag of peas. "My vibrater disagrees with you." A mother that stood nearby gave me a dirty look before grabbing the hand of her young daughter, towing her away from the disgusting teenager.

"See what you did now?" Angela faked chastised me.

"Like she doesn't have some toy stashed away in the bottom of one of her drawers." I said absentmindedly.

"Right," Ben commented. "This is where I make my exit. I'll go get that crisps your brothers wanted." He walked away briskly while Angela and I chuckled.

"You my friend," Angela said picking up some frozen chicken breasts. "Need to get your head out of the gutter."

I made a sad face. "I keep aiming for the gutter but keep finding myself in the sewers. Sorry."

"Classic under achiever." Angela joked finally finding a pack of chicken breasts she liked. "Find a ladder because you are scaring my boyfriend."

Just then Ben showed up wearing a blue wig. In his one hand he held a brush and in the other a huge pack of Lays chips. We stared at him as he dropped the crisps in the cart. He held our gaze as he brought the brush to his mouth, like you would a microphone. "Bella, this one is for you." Taking a deep breath he began singing. "I kissed a girl and liked it…"

"Oh my God…" Angela and I exclaimed at the same time. People in the isle started to stare at us. As we giggled, we tried to get him to stop. He just kept going, getting most of the words wrong. A crowd began to form around us, when people started taking out cell phones I ducked out of there.

Can I never go to the store with Angela without there being a scene? I wondered what Alice would have thought if she was here. Would she have helped Ben put together an impromptu outfit? "Mom! Mom! Come look. This guy is doing a Katy Perry impersonation. He is so cool." A ten year-old shouted excitedly, towing her mother by the hand towards the crowd.

Suddenly I didn't wonder what Alice would have done is she was here. I just wanted her to be here. I headed over to the crowed and recorded the last part of Ben's performance. I sent it to her phone and simply added what I felt.

**Wished I could have shared this moment with you. **

Ben bowed to the crowed, spotted the manager and shop assistants making their way towards us. He removed the wig and started pushing the cart with a new found haste.

"Come on, before we get banned." Roaring with laughter we made our way to the counter.

…**..**

**During the early hours of Monday morning**

I sat bolt upright in my bed. Adrenalin flooded my system. Something had woken me. As I tried to ignore my racing heart, I glanced at my electronic alarm clock. The green dials informed me that it was 2:30 am in the morning. It was almost pitch black in my room. The wind was howling outside and rain pelted against my window. All of these noises I was used to and could not have woken me. I lay back down slowly only to bolt back up when a noise came from downstairs. That was nor wind nor rain. Who in their right mind would break into the chief of police's house?

There was another sound and I instantly fumbled for my cell phone on my bedside table. Unlocking it, I illuminated my room with its small but comforting light. No monsters or serial killers jumped out to attack me. "Okay Bella. It was nothing. The house is just old and likes to make noises." I said in a small voice.

"O who are you trying to fool?" Something clinked downstairs. That was probably your wide screen TV. Someone is steeling your TV. "Who needs a TV in anyway? Maybe now Charlie would get some exercise." Charlie! "You are the world's worst policeman ever!" I muttered to myself as I left the safety of the bed.

Slowly I crept to the door. I had almost made it when I stubbed my toe against the leg of my desk. "Fuck." I cursed hobbling on one foot. Now the whole world knows someone is awake up here. It is just a matter of time before you're going to be stabbed to death by a psychopath in a hockey mask. "Stop it!" This isn't some horror movie. It will be someone in a balaclava with a gun, not a knife.

Ignoring the pain in my foot, I wandered cautiously to my bedroom door. I grabbed my trusty baseball bat, stationed at the door for emergencies like this. Then I waited.

And waited.

Waited some more.

When no weirdoes in any form of masks came to kill me, I hugged the wall and very stealthily sneaked down the stairs. When I reached the bottom step, I noticed a dim light coming from the kitchen. Huh, what dome idiot of a criminal puts on a light while robbing a place?

Feeling a little braver, because this might not be the world's smartest criminal, I sneaked to the kitchen door. Taking a breath, I chanced a look inside. My heart stopped. There was no crazed axe murderer. No robbers with weird masks. No tooth fairy, Santa Clause or Easter bunny either. Instead a familiar face. A welcomed face. The most beautiful face in the world.

Alice stood against the counter, her attention fixed on the bowl in her hands. "Why do you always sneak around in the middle of the night?" She jumped at the sound of my voice, almost spilling the contents of the bowl. I chuckled as I walked into the kitchen. There was a small clatter before she hit me like a torpedo. Her hug was so tight an anaconda could come to her for lessons. I hugged her back awkwardly, the baseball bat still clutched in one hand. "Princess, oxygen. I need it." I choked out and she let go of me, blushing slightly.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to…" She paused searching for the right words. "I just…." She played with a loose string on her t-shirt. "I just missed you like crazy."

Her uncertainty was cute and instantly woke feelings in me. I placed the bat on the counter. "When did you come back?"

"Around midnight." I nodded my head. I must have fallen asleep waiting for her and Charlie to get back from the airport.

"Well I uh…I'm glad your back." She cocked her eyebrow at me as if saying, that's it? "Fine, I missed your spoiled arse as well." That earned me my first dimple smile and my heart missed a beat.

"Do you really think you can fend of someone with that thing?" She nodded towards the bat, before going to the counter and picking up whatever she was busy eating.

I shrugged, "It seemed to work fine for 'The Rock' in 'Walking Tall'."

Both her eyebrows shot skyward as she gave me a dubious look. "That is just a movie, Isabella." She ate a mouthful of food. "Besides," She said with her mouthful. "He is all muscle and radiates power. His devil-may-care attitude doesn't hurt either. The most hardened criminals will go running for the hills, even if he was clothed in a tank top and 'Batman' bottoms."

I frowned looking down at my choice of sleep attire. "There is nothing wrong with what I'm wearing."

She winked at me. "Personally I think what you are wearing is sexy…" She waited a few seconds for the compliment to sink in. "I just wanted to point out the idiocy of you creeping around the house with a baseball bat while your father sleeps with a gun under his pillow."

I pulled a face walking over to her. "He also sleeps naked. What if I wake him and it is a false alarm. I would have the image of all his naked bits imprinted on my brain for the rest of my life."

Alice was about to take another bite…hesitated…then paced the spoon back in the bowl. "Fair enough." She moved passed me and placed the bowl in the sink.

I glanced at the contents of the bowl and smirked. "Since when do you eat cereal?"

She blushed again, biting her lip nervously. Fuck woman, stop being so seductive. She stepped closer to me. "Oh, you seemed to like it so I thought I would give it a try."

I swallowed my throat suddenly dry. "And what do you think?"

She took another step, her lemony scent slowly attacking my senses. "It was surprisingly sweet."

My mind became foggy and it was extremely difficult to concentrate on what she was saying. "Not as disgusting as you thought, huh Princess."

"No." She reached forward slowly, placing one of my disarray curls behind my ear. Tingles erupted down my neck, my pulse quickened instantly. If she felt something similar, she didn't show it. She locked gazes with me. "Isabella, why did you run away from me?"

I wiped my sweaty palms on my bottoms, instantly knowing to what she was referring to. I swallowed. Tell her the truth. Let the chips fall and hope for the best. Inner voice, bugger off.

She kept staring at me, patiently waiting for an answer. The determination in her blue eyes finally convinced me to say something. "I was afraid." I whispered finally.

"Why?" She demanded. I took a step away from her, desperate to put some distance between us.

"Princess, let's face the facts. This is like a long extended summer vacation for you. When the school year is done, you are leaving and I will be left here. Maybe I'll be heartbroken. Maybe not." She frowned. I liked the way her eyes narrowed when she frowned. Focus Bella. "Why waste all that time," I continued. "If I'll be left with nothing but pain in the end? I might be a lot of things, but a sucker for punishment is not one of them."

There was a glint of something in her eyes as she took a step towards me. What is this, a game of cat and mouse? Stay on your side, dammit. "So you were afraid?"

"Yes, "I agreed trying to back away again.

She grabbed my wrist and pulled me flush against her. ""Stop running away from me, Isabella." She turned slightly, pinning me against the counter. My heart was pounding in my ears. "I had to endure you walking out on me once…" She whispered, placing her hands on the counter on either side of me, effectively trapping me. She glared up at me. "Don't make me endure it again."

I hung my head in defeat. "Princess…let's not fool each other. This can never work. We both know that. We're from different worlds. You're famous and I…" I balled my fists. "I'm just a small town girl. Let's face the facts." I fixed my gaze with hers, willing her to see reason. "You have certain expectations to live up to. You yourself said on multiple occasions that someone like you…" I poked my chest." And someone like me won't ever be together in a million years."

She huffed in annoyance. "I was wrong. Forget about the future, Isabella." She paused, trying to string her thoughts together. "Just focus on the here and now. Here I am just Alice. And you're just Bella. And I like you." On the outside right now I just stared at her in shock. On the inside I was doing a victory dance. "And right now…" She stood on her tip toes, bringing our faces to the same level. "I'm going to kiss you. Do you have any objections?"

I had barely shaken my head when her lips crashed into mine. Immediately her tongue traced my bottom lip, begging me for entrance. I obliged, slipping my arms around her bringing her as close to me as possible. She moaned into my mouth, and tingles rushed straight to my core. Her arms circled my neck as I desperately tried to stay in control.

I was kissed before, but never could a simple nibble of my lip and a swipe of tongue set my pulse racing at record breaking speeds. I've been touched before but never had my skin felt like it was on fire. A small caress on my back and my knees buckled. All I knew was every touch, every caress wasn't enough. Hands were everywhere, clothes were tugged at and I was pretty sure time stood still.

"Bella, are you down there?" Charlie's voice ruined the most perfect kiss ever. We jumped apart. By the time Charlie entered the kitchen, Alice was putting milk away and I was at the opposite side of the room, holding my baseball bat. "What is going on here?" Charlie asked stifling a yawn.

I swallowed when I noticed him grasping his gun. "I caught a milk thief." I said pointing to Alice with my bat.

She smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, I got thirsty. I didn't mean to wake any of you."

Charlie glanced from her to me. "Well off to bed, the both of you. You have school tomorrow." We filed pass him with no complaint. "Wait" We froze" This was it. He knows. Damn, he wouldn't shoot her would he? "Bella, remember to put the trash out tomorrow." I sighed in relief, not busted after all. "I have an early shift." He added by way of explanation.

"Sure thing, dad." I said trying to sound like a disgruntled teenager. I followed Alice up the stairs.

"See." She whispered from the corner of her mouth. "A gun is much more threatening than a bat."

I pushed her playfully. "Shut up, that was way too close for comfort." We paused at my door. Alice glanced towards the stairs making sure that Charlie was still downstairs. "Well goodnight…or morning…or whatever." I said, wishing that Charlie had never woken up.

"Sweet dreams." She said before heading down the hall. She paused and ran back to me, giving me a chaste kiss. She winked at me before disappearing down the hall and into her room.

"Why are you standing outside your door like some brain dead zombie?" Charlie asked appearing at the top of the stairs.

"I uh..." I raked my brain for a good reason. "Used the toilette?" Yeah, you're a regular Einstein.

He nodded his head as he walked passed me. Halfway towards his room he paused. Oh hell no, if he was coming back for a goodnight kiss I would know that I was having a nightmare. "Uh Bella… you forgot to flush."

Ugh, now he uses his detective skills. "Sorry." I muttered hurrying into the bathroom. "I guess I'm still half asleep."

I flushed a perfectly clean toilette. On my way back to my room I heard a giggle from Alice's room.

Evil fucking pixie.

…**..**

**Later that morning**

"Princess get your arse down here, we are going to be late." I shouted up the stairs.

"I'll be down in a minute."

I rolled my eyes. "A normal minute or an Alice minute?"

She appeared at the top of the stairs, her hand on her hip. "What is an Alice minute?"

"To fucking long." I replied coyly as she made her way down the stairs.

"Oh hardy har, har." I smiled and waited patiently for her to reach the bottom step. "Was last night a dream?" She asked, suddenly uncertain of herself.

I shook my head, "If it was," I said, circling my arms around her waist, pulling her closer. "Charlie would never have showed up."

She cupped the back of my neck. "Yes, that part was most unfortunate."

My eyes were glued to her lips. I couldn't believe that I could do this. Act on all my impulses. "Uh huh," I agreed. "Most unfo…" She silenced me with a blistering kiss. Too soon she pulled away, resting her forehead on mine. Both of us were breathing deeply. "Well, good morning to you too." I said into her neck before placing a soft kiss on her pulse point. I loved the way her short spikes tickled the side of my face.

"I thought we were late." She teased.

With a sigh, I let go of her. "Something Princess, are worth being late for."

She blushed an adorable shade of red. Then she pulled a face. "What is that god awful smell?"

I nudged a trash bag with my foot. "I was about to take out the trash."

She pinched her nose backing up four steps. "Well take it away and make sure you wash your hands afterwards. I will not hold your hand if it is covered in who knows what."

I tilted my head to the side. "There will be hand holding later?"

She backed up another few steps as I picked up the bag. "Not if you don't wash your hands..." She eyed the bulging bag, "And scrubbing won't hurt either."

I rolled my eyes walking to the front door. "You are such a snob." She mumbled something about germs and the black plague, as I opened the door. "Such a drama queen."

"I heard that." I chuckled as I made my way outside. I had just placed the bag in the trashcan when a sleek black limo pulled up in my driveway. Well someone is definitely lost. I didn't even know Forks had a limousine company. The driver got out smartly, gave me a nod as he made his way to the back door. He fixed his tie before smartly opening the door.

Alex what's-her-face stepped out of the limo and looked at her surroundings. She looked over to where I was standing. "You there, take these bags to your best available room and turn on the heater. This dreadful weather will make the most positive person depressed."

I scowled, immediately on the defence. "I'm sorry, but I think you are lost."

She glared at me. "Do I look lost?"

"I would rather not answer that." She stared at me momentarily speechless. "Look, the nearest motel is that way." I jerked my thumb in the direction she came from. "Or if you are staying long, I would suggest the only hotel in the middle of town. It's an old red brick building."

"You arrogant little…"

"Sorry but I'm in a hurry," I interrupted her, "if you'll please remove your limo from my driveway."

I ignored her and made my way back towards the house. "Your driveway?" She spat out. "Is the recession so bad you can't even afford to hire servants?"

I ground my teeth. "Look, this is a home. My home. Not a halfway house. I don't know who told you, you can live here. But we are all full, brimming over even."

She glared at me. "Do you have any idea who I am?"

"Why, don't you know who you are?"

The front door opened. Damn. "Isabella, for someone complaining about the time…" Alice noticed the limo and finally, Alex." Lexie, what are you doing here?"

"She's having an identity crisis." I said my voice laced with jealousy.

Alex looked like she could spit venom. "Al, tell this wench to get a room ready for me."

"Wench! Well I ought to…"

Alice hurried down the steps and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Lexie, you should have called. I would have made living arrangements for you."

Alexandra threw her dark curls over her shoulders with the flick of her hand. "How would that have been a surprise? If I can't live with you, then accompany me to a hotel."

I balled my fists. "Alice," I emphasized the name. "And I have to get to school. Your driver is surely more than capable of finding the only hotel in town."

"Why is this," She looked me over. "Insignificant person talking for you? I remember us skipping out on school for a week, holing up in that little hotel in Milan."

I looked at Alice, waiting for her to tell this smudge on a witch's toilette to take a hike. She gave me an apologetic look. "Fine," I muttered. "Do what you want." I headed back into the house.

"Isabella, wait…" I ignored her causing her to follow me inside.

"Don't mind me. I'm just standing here in the cold." Alex's voiced her two cents.

"Wait in the limo so long." Alice said to her before closing the door. I grabbed my schoolbag. "Isabella, please wait."

"For what?" I slung the bag over my shoulder, almost hitting her as I turned around. "Watch it." She glared at me. "You okay?" I asked trying to control my temper.

"Do you even care?"

I sighed. "Evidently I care too much. I care about the fact that you chose your ex over me. I care about the fact that you are going to a hotel with her. A hotel that have doors, doors that can lock. A hotel with do not disturb signs."

"Are you done?" She asked tonelessly.

"Yes, I'm so done." I shoved passed her. I had hurt her. I knew that, but I was so angry at myself for even thinking she would choose me that I didn't care

"Isabella, please. I don't want her. I only want you."

I paused at the door. "Yeah, well right now you're actions speak differently." I looked back at her. She gave me a pleading look, begging me to understand. "Whatever Princess, your world joined you in Forks and there is no place for me. I get it. See you later. If there even is a later."

I walked to my truck, kicking gravel all the way. The limo was still there and I could basically feel Alex watching me. How easy would it be to run the limo through with my truck?

It was tempting, o so tempting.

**A/n Uhm, hi. Turns out you need time to write a story. Sorry for letting you guys wait so long for an update. No, I'm not giving up on this story. I'm a firm believer of finishing what you have started.**

**Thank you for everyone that reviewed… you have no idea how much I appreciate feedback. Even if it is someone reminding me that it's good to update a story. **

**Thanks for everyone that stuck with these two. Hope the chapter does not disappoint.**

**Until next time. **


	10. Chapter 10

**School 08:10 am**

"Where's Alice?" Emmett asked suddenly materializing next to my locker.

"Well good morning to you to." I sarcastically replied, my foul mood only getting fouler.

Emmett barely noticed my response. "Yeah, yeah top of te morning and whatever. Where's that pixie?" He glanced down the corridor expectantly.

"Not here obviously," I grabbed the books I was going to need for first period.

"What?" He dropped his bag on the floor. "She was going to let me cheat of her math homework"

"Guess you'll be receiving an F then." I stuffed my books into the bag and moved to close my locker.

"Is she sick?"

I slammed the locker shut. "No."

He glanced at me as if for the first time. "What's wrong? Did something happen? Did Alice walk in on you in the shower again? Did she leave the toilette seat up? Used the last of the milk? Wear your underwear?"

"Emmett Stop! For God's sake." I shouted and immediately regretted it as his shoulders fell, his whole demeanour changing. "Sorry, I'm not in a very good mood. It's not your fault and I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

He threw his arm over my shoulder. "What happened?" He asked again, softer this time, his voice filled with genuine concern.

I tried pulling some strength from him, his aftershave enveloping me making me feel safe. "Alice's ex showed up. Alice is with her right now, doing only God knows what. And I'm left behind once again, being reminded that I don't fit into her world."

He stayed silent for a while, just walking with me to class. "Bell's you know Alice better than anyone. And being a friend with both of you I'm saying this as an objective third party." I nodded my head in silence as a sign for him to continue. "I've seen the way that Alice looks at you when you are not looking at her, so believe me when I say that you are part of her world. A very big part of her world"

I frowned, was he right? Was I just presuming the worst? Was I letting my fear of losing Alice keep me from thinking clearly about this morning's events? "You really think so?"

He smiled, "Believe me; I would give anything to have someone look at me the way that Alice looks at you... Oh wait... Rosalie does... I'm a lucky guy."

I shook of his arm. "Whipped much? Can we focus back on me here?"

He contemplated that as we paused at the door of my class. "Okay..." He gave in. "Do you think I'm a lucky guy?"

"I think that you are going to get an F in math." I teased before walking into the classroom. He muttered something about unreliable pixies before making his way to his own class.

I sat down next to Angela who was texting away on her cellphone. "Hey." I greeted out of habit.

She finished her text, flipped her phone shut and practically blinded me with her pearly white smile. "Good morning," She looked around. "Where is Alice?"

I sighed, was this going to be how the rest of the day is going to be? "She took her ex to the Motel."

"Is that supposed to sound dirty?" I glared at her. "Explain?" Suppressing a sigh and cursing the teacher for being late I explained the morning's events to Angela. "That bitch." She exclaimed after I was done.

"Alice is not a bitch."

She rolled her eyes at my defensiveness. "I meant her ex."

"Oh."

Her phone buzzed and she grabbed it reflexively, "So Alice will inform her that she's with you and that's that. I'm sure she'll leave town soon." I doubt it. She read the text on her phone and scowled. "Now only if I knew what was going on with Eric."

"Why what's wrong?" I asked concerned.

"He's different, is all."

I groaned on the inside. Could these two just get a clue already? "Why don't you try talking to him?"

"I did try, on more than a few occasions, every time there is an emergency that he needs to take care of." She responded to the text. "I wouldn't worry about Alice's ex that much if I were you?"

"Why?"

"People that still has a thing for their ex usually always talks about them. Alice didn't even mention her ex once this whole time she's been here." She closed her phone. "So I think it is safe to presume that she was over her ex even before she even meat you."

"Or it hurt too much to talk about her ex" I suggested darkly.

Our teacher finally sped walked into class. "Well don't try to see the silver lining why don't you."

I took out my books. "You should give him some space."

Angela looked confused, "Who?"

"Eric, just give him some space to deal with whatever it is he is dealing with."

"I'm worried about him," She contemplated something before confessing; "I miss him."

"You and me both."

We were so caught up in our own thoughts, that we did not notice Jessica watching us, a very sinister look on her face.

**Lunch**

"That's my seat."

I didn't even bother looking up at Eric. "Is your name on it?"

"Yes," He grumbled, rubbing the back of his calf with his foot. "Pathetic is plastered all over it. It basically reeks of self-pity."

The corner of my mouth crept up involuntary, for the first time today I almost smiled. Almost. "No wonder I feel so at home." I said, scooting over slightly making some room for him.

He sat down and silence engulfed us, neither of us caring all that much, misery really does like company and all that shit. He sighed glancing at me from his peripherals. "Do you want to talk about it?"

I sat back, crossing my arms defensively, "Not particularly"

I watched as he shredded his sandwich. "Suit yourself but you know what they say about bottled up emotions."

I sighed, "What do they know in anyway?"

He kicked his shredded sandwich away, pieces of bread scattered across the floor. "They seem to think that they know a lot."

"Do they know what to do when your girlfriend's ex shows up in a limo and your girlfriend chooses her over you?" I asked annoyed, getting up and started to pace.

"Did she really choose her ex over you?" He looked a bit surprised.

"Yes..." I thought about how she still came after me into the house. "No..." But she left with what's her face in anyway. "Maybe..." My pacing became more frantic as I contemplated within my own head.

"See!" I jumped at his sudden our burst. "If another girl can't even figure out how another girl's mind works, how are we," He thumped his own chest, "supposed to figure it out?"

I cocked my eyebrow at him. Chest thumping, really? "You know you should just have told Angela how you feel about her before Ben got involved."

"And risk losing her as a friend?" He asked incredulous.

"As opposed to having her as a friend now?" I countered, sitting down again, pacing just making my emotional turmoil worse.

"Good things come to those who wait, or so they say."

I huffed, "Them again."

Eric bumped my knee with his. "What does she have that you don't, three tits?"

I snorted. "Model looks, an over flowing bank account, a snotty attitude, a limo, personal chef, mansions..." I trailed of sure that he got the point.

"Yeah, I would choose her too." I hit his leg offended. "Bella," He said rubbing the spot I hit. "Alice is with you. Don't you think you should trust her? I mean, and this is just my opinion, if you can't trust her then how do you expect the relationship to work?" He stood up stretching, "I'm not saying that she was right, she wasn't. I'm just saying you shouldn't be expecting the worst. You can't see the future, so stop stressing about it."

Was he right? Was I maybe over reacting a little bit because I was hurt? The warning bell for fourth period rang. I stood up, "Seeing the future would make life easier wouldn't it?" I asked linking my arm through his as we made our way to class.

"I think it would make life boring. Always knowing what is going to happen. I like a good surprise every now and again." I nodded in agreement. "Where the fuck did she hire a limo from anyway?" he suddenly asked, completely off topic. "I didn't even know that Forks had limos."

**After school**

"Do you want to catch a cold?" I froze at the sound of her melodic voice, completely oblivious to the fact that rain was pelting down hard and I was already drenched to the bone. Alice was leaning against my truck, her perfect hairdo perfectly safe under a monstrous black umbrella. "You kept me waiting. My boots are completely ruined."

I forced myself to look away from her face to glance down at her slightly wet boots. "My apologies Princess, if I had known that your overpriced boots were on the line I might have given a fuck."

She shifted her wait, her lower lip pouting a little. "You're still mad at me?"

"No," I said refusing to give in to her most adorable pout. "I'm downright pissed off."

She sighed, "Isabella, I had to go with her." Her eyes locked with mine, begging me to understand. "I had to explain to her that I'm with you."

I whipped wet hair out of my face, "You could not have done that by telling her just to fuck off? You could just have chosen me."

She cocked her eyebrow at me and shook her head smiling slightly, as if she thought I was missing something quite obvious. "Don't you see Isabella? I am choosing you." She pushed away from the truck and made her way towards me. "I'm just doing it my way." She stopped in front of me, the umbrella protecting the both of us from the storm. I could hear rain drops assaulting the umbrella; it was comforting in a sense. Or maybe that was just the effect Alice's presence had on me. "I see now," Alice continued, "That I could have gone about it differently. I've hurt your feelings and for that I apologise."

She placed her hand on my cheek tenderly. I leaned into her touch automatically, tingles slowly spreading down my neck and back. "You know I've been picturing the two of you together holed up in some motel room. I could barely concentrate on anything else."

Alice slid her free arm around my waist and pulled me flush against her possessively. "Silly human," She whispered her eyes dark with lust. "The only person I want to be holed up with is you."

I looked away from her, "I have a hard time believing that."

She placed her fingers under my chin and gently forced me to look at her, "Since I came back from New York I have to stop myself from pinning you to the nearest wall and having my way with."

Lust flushed through my body, causing me to shift my weight uncomfortably. "So what is stopping you?" I asked coyly.

"Because, for once I wanted to make sure that the other person wanted it just as much as I did and that they were ready to take such a step." Her thumb traced my bottom lip, her eyes fixated on the way my eyes closed at the sensations she was causing.

I gulped suddenly nervous, "I'm still mad at you." I slipped my arms around her waist, pulling her closer to me.

"You're allowed to be mad. Just know that I'm sorry and that I'll do anything to make it up to you."

Instantly my mind pulled up a few scenarios that caused me to swallow nervously again, something that did not go unnoticed by Alice. I shook my head and focused back on her, "I'll hold you to that. When you least expect it, I will collect..."

She silenced me with a kiss. "You talk too much." She breathed against my lips before claiming them with her own.

I pushed her backwards, until she was backed all the way up against my truck. "You're still not forgiven." I moaned into her neck, trailing kisses all the way down her neck. The wind whipped away the umbrella; she didn't seem to care as her hands slipped under my wet clothing pulling me impossible flush against her.

"It's okay, I can take the punishment." She challenged.

My leg slipped between hers and pressed up against her core. She threw her head back arching into me. A groan slipped from her mouth as I sucked her ear lobe into my mouth. "We'll see, Princess... we'll see."

**The forecaster Motel**

Meanwhile across town a small dark figure twitched nervously in front of the door of room 16 in the only motel of Forks. The figure twitched once more, looked up and down the deserted corridor nervously and gave the door three loud sharp bangs.

"Finally, it's about time room service showed up." The door swung open and the occupant looked the nervous figure up and down. "You're not room service."

The figure twitched again. "Are you like, Alice's ex?"

"Are you lost little girl?" The occupant said flicking her blonde hair over her shoulder.

"Only like, if you are not interested in, like what I have to show you about Alice." The girl gave the corridor another nervous glance before holding up a laptop.

The blonde smiled, her eyes sparkling with interest. She opened her door and gestured for the girl to come in. "Would you like some room service?"

"Is revenge on the menu?"

The blond cackled, "Yes and it is best served cold."


End file.
